https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 25 Apr 2026 09:24:15 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-224584 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 22:42:19 +0000 mrsmenow 224584@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With your plan you would get a paid leave (60% of your income, but taxes aren't taken out) until your doctor says you can go back-standard is 6 weeks for vaginal delivery 12 weeks for C-section. WI and federal law give you up to 12 weeks without pay, so your STD will cover the first part of your leave. Do you get any sick or holiday ay you can use as well? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-224581 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 22:35:13 +0000 CarrieLouWho 224581@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I work in insurance and read contracts like this all the time. This is the STD Benefit Info for all STD benefits, not just maternity based on the way it's worded.<br /> Like everyone has said, most policies cover 6 weeks vaginal and 8 weeks for a csection.<br /> Your policy will start paying you after you have been out for 7 calendar days. For the next 5-7 weeks it will be at 60% pay. Also, it looks like your employer pays for this policy which means you will be taxed on the benefits when you receive it. So it will be even less take home pay. </p> <p>As for FMLA, you have to have 50 employees within 75 miles of your location to qualify for FMLA. That will guarantee you 12 weeks of leave unpaid and a job of the same or similar position. </p> <p>And like everyone said, different states can have different policies. New Jersey for example will allow 6 extra weeks of unpaid leave for a total of 18 weeks!!! </p> <p>I would call the insurance carrier with questions if you don't want to ask HR. Just ask HR for the policy for STD and the number should be in the booklet. Tell them you are working with a financial planner if you need to fib :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-224073 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:33:56 +0000 lemondrop 224073@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was able to use both FMLA and STD for my 12 weeks leave. I got 6 weeks of full pay from my company and an additional 6 weeks of 60% pay from STD. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223896 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 12:50:55 +0000 AprilK 223896@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh, yeah and old company had a 5-day exclusion period, i had to use vacation days for those or not get paid at all. Hubs is in benefits and said that is a)legal and b)typical. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223888 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 12:48:07 +0000 AprilK 223888@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with Mrs Blue with her "Usually for STD, it's only as long as you are medically unable to work, which is based on your doctor's determination but is generally 6 weeks for vaginal delivery and 8 weeks for c-section."</p> <p>That is how my former company treated it - you could do STD up to 12 weeks but for birth we only got 6 or 8 weeks depending on type of delivery. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223835 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 12:26:30 +0000 ladyfingers 223835@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@brownie: I believe it's actually within 75 miles. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223834 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 12:26:16 +0000 skibobrown 223834@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with what others have said that you can probably only receive STD pay for 6 weeks for a vaginal delivery and 8 weeks for a c-section. (And you won't get paid during the 1-week waiting period.) You should still be eligible for FMLA for up to 12 weeks, but that would be unpaid beyond what you receive from your STD plan unless you have another maternity leave plan at work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223825 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 12:22:13 +0000 ladyfingers 223825@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It depends. My short-term disability covers me for 12 weeks, but their maternity coverage is only for 6 weeks vaginal, 8 weeks C-section. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223745 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 10:54:54 +0000 kml636 223745@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>wow, you are lucky! Mine is one week at full pay, then only two weeks at 60%! Unless you have a c section, then it would be four weeks at 60%. Crappy... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223726 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 10:35:55 +0000 brownie 223726@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBrewer: If your company has over 50+ employees within 25 miles, you are eligible for FMLA. As others said it is 12 weeks with STD running concurrently. Typically STD is for the period in which your incapacitated (6 weeks after a vaginal birth). So you would get 6 more weeks of unpaid job protected leave. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223679 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 10:07:31 +0000 ShootingStar 223679@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBrewer: That's too bad :(. I know how that goes, I work for a software company in the engineering division so most of my co-workers are men too. I do have one female friend who recently had a baby so I learned a little bit about our company's maternity policies, but they're really confusing. And as someone who's TTC, I don't want to really broadcast it to everyone either. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223672 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 10:02:51 +0000 MrsBrewer 223672@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsCB: No unfortuntaly. I think 85-90% of employees here are men, (its an engineering/construction firm) and the few women that I work with are single/no children. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223669 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 10:00:01 +0000 ShootingStar 223669@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Is there anyone in your office who's been out on maternity leave you could ask? My STD policy is worded similarly and the ways ours works is you get paid for 8 weeks for vaginal delivery and 10 for c-section. And if you have a valid medical reason you can extend it to have "up to 12 weeks" paid. </p> <p>It is confusing the way they put up to 12 weeks, I had to call and ask what it meant. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223658 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 09:54:47 +0000 dookie32 223658@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>FMLA is really just the ability to be able to take 12 weeks off without losing your job. My company's maternity leave policy was 6 weeks or 8 weeks (c-section) paid. The pay is a combination of what STD pays (60%) and what my company pays (the other 40%). With STD, you don't get paid for the first 7 days (5 work days) so my company used my vacation days to cover those days so I was getting 100% pay for the entire 6/8 weeks. The FMLA thing is very confusing. STD weeks count as FMLA so you can't take the 6/8 weeks and then 12 weeks on top of that. 12 weeks is the max you are allowed to be off of work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223647 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 09:49:57 +0000 MrsBrewer 223647@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pipers Mommy: Yikes....Well maybe when DH and I start trying, I will go to HR and get more clarification. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223643 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 09:48:40 +0000 Pipers Mommy 223643@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBrewer: that is what I thought too, and then I started inquiring and found out that it wasn't classified as the same- and was under the assumption I was eligible for 12 and it turned out to be 6 weeks plus a 1 week of parental leave. I was also 1/2 way through my pregnancy and when I found out that my company had adjusted their maternity leave giving 2 weeks less...I asked if I could be grandfathered in on the old guidelines - the HR rep just laughed at me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223640 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 09:47:48 +0000 MrsBrewer 223640@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@yoursilverlining: Great! Tons of info here. I'm positive my company would be under the FMLA (we have over 50 employees).</p> <p>I am just hesitant to talk to HR about this because we have 1 HR person, and I work 2 offices away, and I deal with her on a regular basis. I really don't want her to think I"m pregnant/trying. (kind of a busy body). So I might hold off... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223639 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 09:47:33 +0000 LindsayInNY 223639@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBrewer - Like @Rachel said... FMLA and STD are separate though. FMLA requires employers with 50+ employees to provide 6 weeks of unpaid leave. STD is different... For example, my last employer didn't provide maternity leave. Any money received came from the state of NY which only provides something ridiculous like $160/week. My current employer does provide maternity leave. I will still receive the state of NY portion but will sign it over to my employer and they will pay me directly (via insurance) the portion of my paycheck. If that makes sense, LOL. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223632 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 09:44:26 +0000 Adira 223632@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBrewer: That doesn't sound right. If your company has more than 50 employees, you should be able to get FMLA, which is up to 12 weeks off, unpaid, I thought? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223631 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 09:44:13 +0000 Mrs. Blue 223631@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Usually for STD, it's only as long as you are medically unable to work, which is based on your doctor's determination but is generally 6 weeks for vaginal delivery and 8 weeks for c-section.</p> <p>FMLA is different and you can take up to 12 weeks for the birth of a child if you are covered under FMLA. It is usually unpaid, except you generally have to use sick and vacation leave concurrently with your FMLA leave, so you would get paid for those days. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223629 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 09:42:26 +0000 yoursilverlining 223629@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If your company is covered under FMLA, you get 12 weeks (max) UNPAID leave in a 12 month period. If it is not, you should research to see if your state has an FMLA-like program, which your company may (or may not) be covered under. </p> <p>It sounds like from that language that your first week out of work would be unpaid (elimination period), and then your STD kicks in, which is very common. You get a max of 60% of your pay while under STD for a max of 12 weeks. However, depending on which STD company your company uses, they may have their own caps on how long your qualifying event lasts (for example, our STD provider will only pay for STD benefits for 6 weeks following the birth of the child, even though my company benefits allow me to take longer than 6 weeks off). It sounds like your company says that you would be eligible for a max STD benefit of 12 weeks, but you should definitely verify that through HR/the actual STD provider to confirm whether it's up to 12 weeks of leave, or up to 12 weeks of *STD paid* leave, and what amount of leave you get following the birth of the child.</p> <p>You can also ask your HR if they allow you to supplement your STD with vacation time, to up the amount of $ you would receive while out on leave.</p> <p>If your company is covered under FMLA, the most "lenient" leave policy controls. So if FMLA gives you 12 weeks, but your employee handbook and company rules give you 16 weeks, the company handbook is what controls. </p> <p>I would definitely ask for HR to clarify exactly what the leave rules are. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223616 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 09:36:41 +0000 ninja 223616@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You may want to call the provider of your short term disability. I know for ours, while Short term will cover up to 12 weeks, that is not the case for standard maternity leave. They only cover 6 weeks for vaginal delivery and 8 weeks for c-section. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223615 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 09:36:38 +0000 Shutterbug 223615@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBrewer: If you have more than 50 employees you qualify for FMLA, which is 12 weeks - that's a federal program.</p> <p><a href="http://www.dol.gov/whd/fmla/" rel="nofollow">http://www.dol.gov/whd/fmla/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223612 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 09:36:18 +0000 regberadaisy 223612@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBrewer: In that case I would find out from HR what they are opting to give you. Based on the language you posted it does sound like they are giving you up to 60% pay for up to 12 weeks. But if you're using it to financially plan I would want to be sure. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223600 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 09:32:12 +0000 MrsBrewer 223600@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: Well this kind of sucks, I just looked it up, and for WI employers with more than 50 employees are only required to give 6 weeks off, unpaid. That's it. Great.. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223598 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 09:30:40 +0000 LindsayInNY 223598@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I read the "up to" language as meaning you can take UP TO 12 weeks at 60% pay. You can take less if you choose (aka if you want to return early and get 100% pay) but no longer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223597 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 09:30:28 +0000 Mrsbells 223597@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It sounds like 12 weeks off, but I would call HR to be get a clear explanation of it </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223594 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 09:30:05 +0000 MrsBrewer 223594@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: Interesting, good to know. I guess I didnt know it was regulated by the state. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223592 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 09:29:32 +0000 MrsBrewer 223592@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pipers Mommy: There are hardly any women that work at my company, and no where in the hand book does it have anything about "Maternity leave" so I guess I just assumed that it would fall under STD </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/short-term-disabilty-maternity-leave#post-223590 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 09:29:26 +0000 regberadaisy 223590@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In NY State it is 6 weeks (5 weeks paid) for vaginal delivery and 8 weeks (7 weeks paid) for C Section. 12 weeks is if your company qualifies for FMLA (more than 50 employees). But if I remember correctly not all 12 weeks are paid.</p> <p>I would actually look into what the STD benefits are in your state. That's probably what they are quoting from.</p> <p>ETA: NY state only gives up to $150 max a week I think and my employer opted to purchase a insurance plan that upped that to 50% of my paycheck. Which sounds like your employer did something similar unless your state gives you 60%? </p>