Do you have the option of flex time, i.e. coming later or staying longer on the days you have appointments? Or can you work from home and save on your commute on those days, if the doctor is closer to your home?

Anonymous wrote:FYI, you may not be eligible for FMLA at this point, but you will definitely be eligible after your child is born. You are eligible now if you have a serious health condition.

Pretty much this.

FYI, you may not be eligible for FMLA at this point, but you will definitely be eligible after your child is born. You are eligible now if you have a serious health condition.

Can your DH use some of his sick leave to save whatever leave you might have?

If possible, I'd just take leave without pay.

I can't see any possible benefit of using it now.
If for some reason you'd rather take unpaid time now than while on maternity leave, just get paid now and put that money in the bank or something.

No I wouldn't use FMLA. Use annual leave, advanced AL, advance sick leave or LWOP. Save FMLA in case something is wrong with the baby. What if you invoke it and then something is dire later?

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is that FMLA leave is not *in addition* to sick leave. You are entitled to up to 12 weeks of being away from your job (16 in DC) for your illness/family member's illness, whether you use PAID time off to cover any of that time is up to you. So it doesn't really matter if you call it "FMLA", your employer knows you can be absent up to x weeks and they have to hold your job open for you.

It is in addition to if you work for the federal government.

Questions for OP:
-do you work for the federal govt?
-how much AL do you have accrued?
-can you flex hours as PPs suggested?
-will your agency and manager approve discretionary LWOP (this avoids invoking FMLA)? If so, how many hours?
-can you go part-time when you come back?

No, I wouldn't invoke FMLA if my employer would allow me to take unpaid leave for those sick days and doctor appointments. I'd wait to save FMLA for when i was out after having the baby. I'd also find some back up care of have my partner cover sick kid days. For your appointments, can you schedule them around lunch time or morning/evening? Maybe you can talk to your boss about flexing. So you come in late and work late on days you have an appointment.

My understanding is that FMLA leave is not *in addition* to sick leave. You are entitled to up to 12 weeks of being away from your job (16 in DC) for your illness/family member's illness, whether you use PAID time off to cover any of that time is up to you. So it doesn't really matter if you call it "FMLA", your employer knows you can be absent up to x weeks and they have to hold your job open for you.

No. Because there are rules as to how many times you can invoke FMLA leave in a 12 month period. Can you not talk with your supervisor and just takenunpaid leave?
FMLA is not paid anyway.

What is your other option?

I earn a lot of sick leave at my job, very blessed to do so, but between this pregnancy where I had lots of issues first trimester and go put on bed rest, a constantly sick toddler, lots of doctors appointments due to physical therapy, on-going breathing issues, etc., I used up all my backup sick leave - I had like 50 hours! I'm so upset with myself but also know there was really no way to avoid it. I will earn about 10/hr a paycheck, so I'm hoping to recoup some as long as no one in my household is sick... again...

But here is my question - if you were faced with very little sick leave, still have lots of doctors appts you need to go to (I have my glucose coming up which means waiting around in the office), would you consider using your (unpaid) FMLA so as not to touch your annual leave? I'm not really planning on taking the whole 12 weeks, but I know that could potentially chance if kiddo comes earlier than anticipated. I still have 3 months to go with the pregnancy, appts are going to be bi-weekly starting May, physical therapy x1-2/week... I'm just not sure.