How long are the August Moms staying at work? - Page 2

[Princessyoga]

What is FML??

I am working from the house at the moment. I have been doing it for about 3 weeks now. I had planned to work in the office until July but by midwife and doctor stopped that because I was overworking myself and it was impacting my health. I have been trying to call into the office once a week. I would love to go off now but I planning to work until my edc until my doctor recommends otherwise. I will be off for 9 1/2 weeks. People here are shocked that I am taking so little time off. My company provides the bare minimum of maternity leave. That is 6 weeks at 90% pay and up a year at statutory mat pay which a taxable £112.78 a week. So I am taking the 6 weeks then my holidays and a couple bank holidays I will be on mat leave for. Some employers here like my dh's pay for women to take off the full year at full pay. Men get 2 weeks paternity leave at a minimum of 90% pay. My dh gets 2 weeks at full pay.

[Morwenna]

I have a small WAHM business and I am off....today!! I told myself that I would take the last 3 weeks off (I'm due July 28th) and concentrate on getting things ready around here. I will actually still attend to the selling and shipping part of my business as long as I can, but I won't be producing anything more for sale. I'll start up again when I can, but I have no idea when that will be...depends on what kind of baby I get!

When I was working out of the home, I worked at a preschool/daycare and would work up until I went into labor, pretty much. It was part time and I took the kids with me too.

[dctexan]

Originally Posted by josybear

i think having trouble getting by on 55% of regular wages and only being given 6 weeks to begin with are two different ballparks. at least i have the option to stay home for the whole year if i can swing it.

I agree. I think josybear's point was the fact that American mommas get 12 weeks UNPAID (unless we have disability, sick leave or vacation) and the fact that those 12 weeks aren't even a "given" (depending on company size). Yes, I am sure it is tough on Canadian mommas living off of 55% of their former salary (although from your post S_S, it sounds like not all Canadian mommas qualify for this benefit?) but at least it is something.

[dctexan]

Originally Posted by Princessyoga

What is FML??

FML = Family Medical Leave
A law in the US which allows parents (moms & dads) to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave if they work for a company with over 50 employees and have done so for at least one year before taking leave.

[ani'smommy]

I plan to work until the bitter end. I was approved by my work for ten weeks off, but we'll probably only be able to afford eight. With my vacation and sick leave, I'll get almost two weeks paid. It really really sucks, but so it goes.

My coworkers are pretty freaked out about me working so long, but heck, I'm not spending any time sitting on my butt at home when I could be spending it with my new babe.

[ashleep]

2 weeks left for me! WOohoo! Waiting tables is so hard, it's been tough making it this far.

[wendyland]

I'm hoping to make this week my last at work, unless my doctor wants me to stop sooner. I have an appt. tomorrow. I have so much swelling. Being at work makes it so much worse. My blood pressure has been creeping up as well.

I'm planning on going back to work after she's 10 weeks old and work 2 weeks at part-time. My husband is going to be a sahd after that.

[Cujobunny]

My last day of work is July 20. My EDD is august 6. First time around I had a month vacation saved up so i used that before my mat leave kicked in on my due date. This time I don't have any vacation because my employer makes me use my vacation days if I need to take days off for any reason other than I'm sick - so when ds was sick and I needed to stay home with him, I had to use vacation days.

Anyway, just over 2 wks between my last day of work and my EDD. I wish I was off now. But I too, have one year off at 55% of pay and hopefully won't be going back... at least not to that job

[Groggie]

I think now I've decided not to try to work up until my due date. I wanted to, because I only just went full-time at work this summer - before that I was still in grad school so was only part-time, and not really earning much vacation or sick leave (or money!). So I have very little leave accrued and not a ton in my savings. But I work for the federal government and my office doesn't seem to mind giving me as much unpaid leave as I ask for, so I think I'm just going to use up my accrued leave to stop work two weeks early ... i.e. the first week of August, since I'm due Aug. 21st. That'll hopefully give me a chance to rest a lot and stockpile food in our freezer and go for a lot of long walks to try to get labor started ...

[Princessyoga]

Originally Posted by dctexan

FML = Family Medical Leave
A law in the US which allows parents (moms & dads) to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave if they work for a company with over 50 employees and have done so for at least one year before taking leave.

Cheers, Emily

I can't believe you don't get any form of paid leave in America. I will stop complaining.

[Twinklefae]

Just rebooked the start of my leave to next Wednesday. I just can't do my job anymore... physically it's exhausting and mentally I'm not there anymore. Which is not fair to me or the kids! (And it's also quite dangerous in a job with as much liability as mine.) Really looking forward to sleeping and getting the apt. clean and sorted. (nesting sooooooo bad and no energy for it at all!)

[dctexan]

Originally Posted by Princessyoga

Cheers, Emily

I can't believe you don't get any form of paid leave in America. I will stop complaining.

Aw thanks!
I wish you were taking more than 9.5 weeks off. Makes me feel very grateful for my 12 weeks (even if it isn't paid).

[PiePie]

i was planning on working up till the end to maximize my time with babe. we have the $ stored up for me to take 6 mos. of time with babe and then it's back to work, to a new job I have yet to find. but this job has been killing me. I had a really stressful run-in with a client, who has borderline personality disorder, who started throwing things at me. I told her she had to stop doing that and she left. My boss supported her and not me and hence my boss and I had a very upsetting run-in on Tuesday. Because of that, I have moved up my departure date in my head. Really, I do not deserve this level of stress. So my current departure date is 8/9/07. I have control over it because I can go when I say I need to go for health reasons and I assume that my MWs will cooperate and write whatever letter I need. So after today, only 14 more days! I love my job when I am doing it without interference from my boss; but she makes me cry, and the because I refuse to put the bureaucratic stuff before attending to clients but my boss is really insistent on the bureaucratic stuff, I am expected to work late hours. She actually suggested that I stay till midnight tonight! (Friday night) So I do need to cover my butt and get the paperwork done so she won't have anything legitimately bad to say about me. It definitely helps me psychologically to focus on the countdown. This will be my first child, so I was a little afraid of being off work with nothing to do, but yesterday my physical therapist got me fantasizing about going swimming every day!

[cornpicker]

OMG, PiePie, that is so insane. Your boss is crazy.

I have 18 more work days unless baby comes early. I had a MW appt this morning and she looked at my kind of scoldingly when I told her that. She wants me taking afternoon naps the last few weeks if possible. (love this sort of medical advice!) The dumb thing is that I can do my job from home but my boss likes to power trip and wants me to come in more... just because she can make me. So MW will write me a note and we'll see what happens. Working from home does wonders for my energy level and productivity. And if I'm on orders to nap, who am I to refuse?!

[Carma]

Until I go into labor. I have to use vacation days if I want earlier or the dr. has to pull me out (does not seem likely at this point). I have 6 weeks maternity leave (at 90%) and I am also doing unpaid leave.
The benefits in the US are not very good, but luckely we can afford some unpaid leave, so I am even staying longer at home with the little one than my sister in Europe when she had her baby.

Carma

[meredithlee]

I'm a Realtor too so no leave for me. I'll be working up until I go into labor like I did the last time. I keep praying my water doesn't break in an expensive house!

I have all but quit showing vacant houses though. I refuse to be in a home with no air conditioning this pregnant in 90-100 degree heat. Icky.