Maternity leave VENT - Page 2 « Back to Group Discussions

[lbkw]

I just got an email that by going p/t I would lose all of my benefits including 401(k) match. The cost to continue coverage would be over $2000/mo (probably more than I'd earn). I could switch to husband's benefits, but that is incredibly annoying. I need to talk to my boss. I think the accounting people are incredibly inflexible. All they'd have to do is adjust my salary down instead of changing my hours. I'm just so annoyed.

ETA: Spoke to boss and somehow he appears to have suffered amnesia of our conversation and my explicit email. I will have child care with my au pair but was hoping for extra baby time. Will have to modify my plans :-(

Edited by lbkw - 6/1/12 at 9:31am

[lbkw]

Since I'm sure everyone was anxiously awaiting my update (ha ha) just thought I'd post to say that all has been resolved to what I had expected. Another example of the significant miscommunication that happens in my office on a daily basis.

[scowgirl]

So you have to stay full time or lose all your benefits? That really sucks. I am sorry.  The maternity "leave" system in this country is messed up... and it's even more irritating to hear people like my coworker complaining about how much time people get in Canada, like it's a bad thing to have more than 6 weeks with your baby. We have all become so small-minded and petty in the U.S. It's like if our lives have to suck (in certain ways... obviously most of us are extremely lucky in many others), then we want everyone else to be miserable too.

[lbkw]

Originally Posted by scowgirl 

So you have to stay full time or lose all your benefits? That really sucks. I am sorry.  The maternity "leave" system in this country is messed up... and it's even more irritating to hear people like my coworker complaining about how much time people get in Canada, like it's a bad thing to have more than 6 weeks with your baby. We have all become so small-minded and petty in the U.S. It's like if our lives have to suck (in certain ways... obviously most of us are extremely lucky in many others), then we want everyone else to be miserable too.

Oh...no! Maybe I was not clear It is back to the way I originally thought I'd be. I can go part time. They will cover my COBRA as if I were a full-time employee. I found out that they had to make the benefits an all or nothing proposition to work around another situation. They are not going to penalize me. I will get to stay p/t until baby will be about 5 months old. But, it's really annoying that getting a "break" like this is the exception, not the rule. My immediate boss had no idea that a portion of my maternity leave (FMLA time) would be unpaid. He and his wife have 3 kids, but she doesn't need to work.

[GoofyInOK]

lbkw - SO GLAD to hear that your benefits are going to work out with going part time!  That has to be a huge relief.  My company won't allow benefits for part time employees in any instance, so I am glad that yours is being more flexible.  Hooray!!!!  :)

[scowgirl]

Originally Posted by lbkw 

Oh...no! Maybe I was not clear It is back to the way I originally thought I'd be. I can go part time. They will cover my COBRA as if I were a full-time employee. I found out that they had to make the benefits an all or nothing proposition to work around another situation. They are not going to penalize me. I will get to stay p/t until baby will be about 5 months old. But, it's really annoying that getting a "break" like this is the exception, not the rule. My immediate boss had no idea that a portion of my maternity leave (FMLA time) would be unpaid. He and his wife have 3 kids, but she doesn't need to work.

Oh cool! I totally misread that. Congratulations! It sounds like a great arrangement.