anybody else completely pissed about maternity leave?

[Anonymous]

I want to understand how my hours and hours of unpaid overtime in support of my flabby CEO translates into 4 weeks of disability at 60% of my salary (they say its 6 weeks but that includes a 14 day unpaid waiting period, which to me is 4 weeks) while the man at the top takes home millions. Note if I have a section its 8 weeks of disability (but really that's 6 weeks).

I almost took the head off my HR rep when I heard this. Its not her fault, of course, so I didn't, but really? Really? I don't work for a shitty outfit either, I work for one of the supposed "best places to work" in DC. Is my company worse than others? <- this I'm genuinely curious about, because they give us the impression that this is standard and I don't know any better.

What are your company policies?
How do you plan to get by?

Best,
S

[Anonymous]

we have a waiting period too, but you can use sick leave during that time (after which sick leave runs concurrent with disability). do you have any accrued sick leave?

I hate to say it, but yours isn't that bad. Lots of places dont provide disability insurance at all. It's the insurance aspect that allows you to get some % of your pay during that time (for me it's 75%).

[Anonymous]

Yeah, that's not bad! Hopefully you'll feel better when you discover that for both of my maternity leaves, I just got my job "back" thanks to FMLA, but got ZERO pay (other than the sick I had accumulated and any vacation, which equalled to about 2 weeks). You are lucky to get some compensation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I want to understand how my hours and hours of unpaid overtime in support of my flabby CEO translates into 4 weeks of disability at 60% of my salary (they say its 6 weeks but that includes a 14 day unpaid waiting period, which to me is 4 weeks) while the man at the top takes home millions. Note if I have a section its 8 weeks of disability (but really that's 6 weeks).

I almost took the head off my HR rep when I heard this. Its not her fault, of course, so I didn't, but really? Really? I don't work for a shitty outfit either, I work for one of the supposed "best places to work" in DC. Is my company worse than others? <- this I'm genuinely curious about, because they give us the impression that this is standard and I don't know any better.

What are your company policies?
How do you plan to get by?

Best,
S

At least you get something. I get ZERO. Been with the company 5 years. Frankly, many CEO's will be as cheap as possible for as long as they can. Which is why in other countries there are government programs. This has been said a million times here, but the United States does so little to support young mothers. I was so ridiculously messed up when I went back to work when my DD was 11 weeks old, and I considered myself so lucky to be able to go back part time for a few weeks to give myself a break. I really feel for moms who have to go back at 6 weeks or earlier to make ends meet.

[Anonymous]

I'm a fed, so all I get in paid time off is the leave I have accrued. Luckily for me, I've worked there for a while and have been saving up my leave in anticipation so I will have almost 4 months paid leave. My boss is very supportive of family life, so I'll be able to take another month of unpaid time off.

But if I hadn't saved the leave, I would only be entitled to unpaid time off under FMLA.

[Anonymous]

Um, were you surprised when your HR rep told you this?

[Anonymous]

I'm lucky to get 12 weeks paid. I never heard of a waiting period.

[Anonymous]

Standard (HR Consultant here) - unless you are a Fed and then you get NONE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a fed, so all I get in paid time off is the leave I have accrued. Luckily for me, I've worked there for a while and have been saving up my leave in anticipation so I will have almost 4 months paid leave. My boss is very supportive of family life, so I'll be able to take another month of unpaid time off.

But if I hadn't saved the leave, I would only be entitled to unpaid time off under FMLA.

How are you taking 4 months paid when the maximum annual leave you can accrue without forfeit is 6 weeks (240 hours) and the max sick leave for a vaginal birth is 6 weeks? Or are you talking about use-or-lose that you'll somehow be able to squeeze in before the end of the calendar year? Comp time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm lucky to get 12 weeks paid. I never heard of a waiting period.

Me too. I was only supposed to get 6 weeks paid per a new policy at my firm, but past policy gave women 12 weeks paid, so I petitioned for 12 weeks paid and it was approved. I realize how lucky I am to have this.

[Anonymous]

I work in DC and we get 12 weeks of short-term disability which is paid at 60% salary. I wonder why yours is only 6 weeks?
I have the wait period too but I can use accrued sick/vacation leave to cover it...
I work for a non profit and honestly most people around here take about 4 months off. We get alot of leave so most people have plenty of sick leave accrued.

[Anonymous]

I always thought the standard in the private sector (larger companies) was 6 weeks paid leave.

[Anonymous]

Yep, I'm a fed and get none! And am constantly sick because of germs from daycare, so have no sick leave. This next maternity leave is going to suck!

[Anonymous]

I work for a major international organization and we get 12 weeks maternity leave with full pay. Anything else on top of that would come out of FMLA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work in DC and we get 12 weeks of short-term disability which is paid at 60% salary. I wonder why yours is only 6 weeks?
I have the wait period too but I can use accrued sick/vacation leave to cover it...
I work for a non profit and honestly most people around here take about 4 months off. We get alot of leave so most people have plenty of sick leave accrued.

DC FMLA guarantees that your job will be waiting for you for 16 weeks. There is no requirement about pay during that time. What you are calling 'short term disability' is actually disability *insurance,* which is a benefit your employer provides - the insurance covers some portion of your salary for a time when you are 'disabled.' That coverage varies. However, I am very surprised to hear that it covered you for 12 weeks for a vaginal birth - you might double check that if you haven't already. Typically, the insurance company providing the benefit requires proof that you are in fact 'disabled.' It is considered standard that a woman is 'disabled' for 6 weeks after a vaginal birth and 8 after a c-section. Therefore, while your coverage may be available for 12 weeks for other types of disabilities, I would think you would be cut off after 6.