https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 26 May 2026 10:31:35 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-is-it-so-hard-to-figure-out-ca-maternity-leave#post-858705 Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:23:47 +0000 mrskc 858705@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Corduroy: ok good. I guess best to not ruffle any feathers since they said you can still come back after 18 weeks. Enjoy your last 2 weeks of leave! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-is-it-so-hard-to-figure-out-ca-maternity-leave#post-858675 Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:15:08 +0000 Corduroy 858675@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrskc: I am taking the full 18 week leave but HR still thinks they are "allowing me" to take it, not that it is my right to take it. </p> <p>I asked my brother, who is director of HR at another company, to verify that I had the right citations and interpretations of the statues. (I believe it was CFRA Notice B) He confirmed that I did but then urged me not to stick it to HR since they are giving me what I am allowed. He's much better at "playing the game" at work than I am so I'm trusting him on this. I haven't brought it up again. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-is-it-so-hard-to-figure-out-ca-maternity-leave#post-858579 Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:47:40 +0000 mrskc 858579@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Corduroy: I was searching for something else and stumbled on this thread. Did you get it sorted out? Because I'm fairly certain you are entitled to the 18 weeks like you were first granted. 6 weeks disability w/ FMLA &amp; 12 weeks CFRA. with FMLA &amp; CFRA running concurrently for 6 weeks. </p> <p>weeks 1-6 (FMLA + PDL)<br /> weeks 7-12 (FMLA + CFRA kicks in + PFL)<br /> weeks 13-18 (CFRA unpaid) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-is-it-so-hard-to-figure-out-ca-maternity-leave#post-827909 Mon, 03 Jun 2013 18:34:37 +0000 Raindrop 827909@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What Mrs. High Heel wrote was very good. </p> <p>Here is something I wrote on the boards a while ago.</p> <p>I'm in California and I heard we were different.<br /> I also work for a very big company.</p> <p>This is what it boiled down too</p> <p>4 weeks before due date (you are off work!)<br /> - first week sick (as per my company's policy)<br /> - next 3 weeks at 55% pay up to a cap (in 2012 the cap was 1100) (covered with with California Pregnancy Disability Leave (CA PDL) this is a STD (short term disabilty)) (this is for the 4 weeks before birth and 6-8 weeks after birth)) + my company paid the rest to my match my salary (they match to CAL PDL to match my salary, company policy) (CAL PDL + Company = full pay)</p> <p>Birth! - 6 week for vaginal and 8 weeks for c-sention (again CAL PDL + Company = full pay)</p> <p>6-8 weeks after<br /> - California Paid Family Leave (CA PFL) kicks in and also gives 55% salary up to a point (again 2012 max was 1100), for 6 more weeks. No more company match for me!</p> <p>So these work along with with Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) because the california programs do not have job protection was as FMLA does. California also has California Family Rights Act (CFRA) which is also unpaid and goes in affect along with the paid programs above for job protection after FMLA is done for the last 6 weeks of the leave but this gives you 12 more weeks.</p> <p>Super break down.</p> <p>4 weeks before - paid full - job protected (FMLA + CAL PDL + company)<br /> 6-8 weeks after - paid full - job protected(FMLA + CAL PDL + company)<br /> 12-14 weeks after - paid 55% - job protected (CAL PFL + CFRA)<br /> 18-20 weeks after - unpaid but job protected (CFRA)</p> <p>So in california you can basically take 16-18 weeks off (4 weeks before + 12-14 weeks after) with some sort of pay. :)</p> <p>I hope this is somewhat useful. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-is-it-so-hard-to-figure-out-ca-maternity-leave#post-827870 Mon, 03 Jun 2013 17:57:17 +0000 Corduroy 827870@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. High Heels: I read your post way back when but I didn't remember that you wrote it. Thank you!!! </p> <p>When I was planning leave I felt so stupid. It seemed like all the input I got conflicted. I almost hired a maternity leave consultant to explain it all to me. Very few people seem to know about CFRA. Every one I know has gone back at 12 weeks.</p> <p>I just can't believe even now 16 weeks into my leave HR is still giving me incorrect information. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-is-it-so-hard-to-figure-out-ca-maternity-leave#post-827849 Mon, 03 Jun 2013 17:46:40 +0000 Corduroy 827849@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: I did see that post when I was planning my leave. I was lurking back then but it helped me out when I was so frustrated. Gotta love all the answers on these boards. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-is-it-so-hard-to-figure-out-ca-maternity-leave#post-827739 Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:35:04 +0000 mrbee 827739@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Corduroy: Did you by any chance see @Mrs. High Heels's awesome post on maternity leave in California?</p> <p><a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2012/11/19/maternity-leave-in-california/" rel="nofollow">http://www.hellobee.com/2012/11/19/maternity-leave-in-california/</a></p> <p>Lots of great tidbits in the comments too... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-is-it-so-hard-to-figure-out-ca-maternity-leave#post-827726 Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:31:24 +0000 skibobrown 827726@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I remember being so confused when trying to figure out how DH was doing to take his PFL. It all worked out fine though. I would definitely craft a polite response explaining their error to HR. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-is-it-so-hard-to-figure-out-ca-maternity-leave#post-827639 Mon, 03 Jun 2013 15:57:09 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 827639@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was sooo frustrated too when figuring out my leave!! I hope it all gets sorted out for you. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-is-it-so-hard-to-figure-out-ca-maternity-leave#post-827270 Mon, 03 Jun 2013 13:53:27 +0000 Corduroy 827270@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Why is CA maternity leave such an enigma? There are four types of leave (PDL, FMLA, PFL, &amp; CFRA). Some are concurrent and some are not. Some apply to small business and some don't. Yes, it can be very confusing. But if you work in HR for a company of 10,000 or so employees shouldn't you be able to figure it out? I'm not the first one to have a baby.</p> <p>I don't know if HR really doesn't understand the laws, if they are purposely trying to minimize leave, or if they assume nobody can afford a few weeks of unpaid leave. I'm just glad I was warned not to trust HR departments for accurate leave information. </p> <p>HR emailed me this morning saying my leave is up and asking when I was going to show up. I was surprised by this because I was approved for 18 weeks of leave in January before I left. I pointed that out and that I am still on CFRA leave. Paid disability (6 weeks) + California Family Rights Act (12 weeks) = 18 weeks = July 1st. They responded by saying all leave is concurrent (for a total of 12 weeks) but they will "allow" me to take 18 weeks since they signed my request before I left on leave. </p> <p>Oh. Hells. No. That is my right, not some favor. CFRA comes after PDL, not concurrent. I know I'm being harsh and that's just mama bear having to think about getting LO in daycare a month earlier. Besides, if they really thought I had a 12 week leave why did they wait until 14 weeks to ask where I was? </p> <p>I will craft a polite response to HR with proper sources for leave information so the can provide the next people with accurate information.</p> <p>(It will be really embarrassing if I'm somehow wrong on this. I hate that new mama brain prevents me from being 100% confident about anything.)</p> <p>From CA.gov<br /> "At the end of an employee's period(s) of pregnancy disability leave, a CFRA-eligible employee may request a CFRA leave of up to 12 workweeks for reason of birth of her child if the child has been born by this date." </p>