My co-worker is due in March and just told me about our HR's maternity leave "practice". She said she was told that she can't take more than 6 weeks paid leave. After 6 weeks her time MUST be unpaid, even though she has the leave time accrued for more days away. Furthermore, they said that is the practice even if her doctor says she's not cleared to return until past 6 weeks! Her impression is that 6 weeks is the "common knowledge" of recovery time, so HR feels like women "should" be able to return to work physically so they won't let them use sick leave days.

I have 2 issues & want to know what HR bees think. (1) This is NOT in our policy handbook from the district. HR told my co-worker it's their "practice" not the policy and it's only stated as an example in a FAQ page. I don't think they should be able to implement something that our Board hasn't approved.
(2) This only applies to maternity leave/birth. No other person who has a medical procedure is told when they "should" be able to return and when HR will stop letting them use their sick leave days, regardless of what their doctor says. Obviously, males wouldn't run into this problem.

So, do you think HR's "practice" is discriminatory against women/mothers? I understand unpaid leave if you don't have the days accumulated, but my co-worker has time saved up that they just won't allow her to use! I want to contact our Superintendent and board members about this - I think it's so unjust!!