breadwinner mamas: starting a new job while pregnant--maternity leave?

[la mamita]

it looks like i am going to be the breadwinner in the family. dp and i are relocating to either the US or the UK--i'm sending out job apps now and i hope to be hired within the next 3 months. AND i just found out that i am most likely pregnant.

DP will be a SAHD after the baby is born (i have a 5yo who will start school once we move too). i'm kind of freaking out wondering how i will take maternity leave--even if it's just a few weeks! if we move to the UK, that's settled, there's paid maternity leave. the US, i definitely won't qualify for FMLA because i won't have enough time working at the job.

how have you handled starting a new job while pregnant and taking maternity leave?

as far as i can tell, my hopefully-future-employer (state governments) offers some paid vacation, paid sick days, but nothing beyond the FMLA 12 unpaid weeks. i've heard short-term disability can replace maternity leave payments, but that you have to sign up for it (is this a separate type of insurance??) before pregnant because they don't cover preexisting conditions. will i just have to negotiate unpaid time off? take all of my sick days and vacation days at once? i'm willing to accept that i won't have months and months at home with the baby, but i want to be able to recuperate fully from the birth and get breastfeeding started properly.

thoughts?

[geekgolightly]

i will only be allowed six weeks because i will not reach the year/hours needed in time. i was just a few weeks pregnant when i started.

anything over six weeks and i open myself up for getting fired.

ETA that includes any time off i may need for bedrest, which is pretty likely to happen, unfortunately. it's a pretty bad situation, honestly.

the only hope on my end is my husband getting a job lined up as soon as he graduates. in late may. i am due may 2nd.

[la mamita]

thanks! did you negotiate that or is that like a standard set of time allowed by your employer? do you work in the public, private or non-profit sector?

and wow, i am sorry that you are in a situation like that (how can that be expected to include bedrest too?!?!). i am hoping for a smooth, easy pregnancy. it peeves me that i wasn't born in scandinavia or western europe where super long maternity leave is a given...

[la mamita]

bumping because i'm definitely pregnant and still need advice...

[dawningmama]

Wow, that's a lot of transition! Congratulations, firstly, on your pregnancy! Woot!

The FMLA part of maternity leave is relatively clear cut, but the use of short term disability is an employer and state issue, IME. You will likely need to research based on where you will be. Pregnancy is not always considered a pre-existing condition with disability insurance, but that kind of insurance is not always available. I would check the labor department website of the state in which you'll be working for more information.

Good luck and congrats again!

[la mamita]

thanks! i suppose this will end up being negotiation with my employer. i've read the fine print on the short-term disability plan they offer and it requires 12 months of employment before use...so that's out. but perhaps i will get lucky

[JudiAU]

I would assume that any you leave you take with be unpaid and that your employeer can agree or not agree to any length. I would be up front about it, tell them that you have other children, and that DH is SAHD. That might help.

[rhianna813]

DH and I both worked but decided he would be the SAHD. He worked full time while I was on maternity leave. But I did qualify for FMLA and also received partial paid leave from my employer. His income was all we lived on for most of my leave. Then he quit his job when I returned to work.

FMLA protects your job legally but that doesn’t mean you will automatically get fired if you don’t qualify. You should speak to your boss about it. If they know you are committed to the job, enough to secure DH has a SAHD, they may work with you. If possible have DH get a job to secure some income before the baby arrives.

Rhianna

[Carita]

by lucky i hope you don't mean gestate our baby for over 12 months! LOL

some states also have gentler laws than the federal minimums. And some very small companies are except from having to provide FMLA at all. Federal min as far as I am aware applies to companies 40 employees and over, you have to work a year at FT to qualify and it only garuntees 6 weeks.

How pregnant will you be? I interviewed very pregnant, and didn't have to start the job until after DD was born. at this point, if its showing, then i think it is prudent to discuss your plans at the outset and yes, letting them know that you are primary breadwinner helps. they will likely be concerned about you not returning to work or taking a long time off and that would ease their fears.

[34me]

It really depends on the Short term disability company your employer uses. I work for a City and was 7 months pregnant when I started (and only part time + benefits) and I received the full 6 weeks of STD

[CarrieMF]

if we move to the UK, that's settled, there's paid maternity leave

I'd double check & see if there are any minimum working requirements to this too. In Canada there is & if you are not a legal resident there may be even more requirements.

[la mamita]

I've checked, I would qualify. I wouldn't make the move without researching that first!!!