What I wish I knew about maternity leave...

[Peepa]

I''ll be going on leave in a few months and wanted any tips, advice, stories you''d like to share about maternity leave.
Questions you wished you had asked beforehand?
Something about fmla that most ppl don''t know would benefit knowing?
Any "don''t forget to check on this or that" tips?

 

[fieryred33143]

This doesn''t really relate to fmla but if you are planning on putting your baby on your employer-based insurance, contact them and see what they need. My insurance declined DD''s coverage because they never received a birth certificate but all my job required was a copy of her foot prints. And it has been hell trying to get her back on the insurance ever since.

I don''t really have any other tips. FMLA was a pretty easy process for me. I just filled out the paperwork weeks in advance, kept my claim # handy, and then called when I left work (which was on her birthday).

Also Peppa, if you don''t mind me asking, when are you due? What are you having? I know that you don''t participate in the Pregnant Psers thread but I like the questions you post so I''m curious about your baby

 

[Peepa]

Date: 9/28/2009 5:34:03 PM
Author: fiery
This doesn''t really relate to fmla but if you are planning on putting your baby on your employer-based insurance, contact them and see what they need. My insurance declined DD''s coverage because they never received a birth certificate but all my job required was a copy of her foot prints. And it has been hell trying to get her back on the insurance ever since.

I don''t really have any other tips. FMLA was a pretty easy process for me. I just filled out the paperwork weeks in advance, kept my claim # handy, and then called when I left work (which was on her birthday).

Also Peppa, if you don''t mind me asking, when are you due? What are you having? I know that you don''t participate in the Pregnant Psers thread but I like the questions you post so I''m curious about your baby

Aw thanks fiery! I''m due January 6th. Having a boy and totally excited and scared at the same time.

 

[fieryred33143]

Yay for Capricorns

(I''m a cappy

) Congratulations!

 

[MustangGal]

I''m in HR, so I have tons of FMLA experience

Do you have short-term disability insurance? If so ask for the claim form for that also, they should give you one when you talk about FMLA with your HR. Also ask for the form to add the baby to your insurance if that''s what you plan. Most insurance requires changes be made within 31 days of the birth, so get it in as soon as you get home from the hospital. Most companies are fine taking the little cert the hospital gives you, but like fiery mentioned, you might want to ask. Also find how how they deal with benefit premiums while you''re out. They''ll probably bill you once you''re out of paid time off. If you don''t pay the premiums, they can drop your insurance. And also be aware that if you decide not to go back to work, they can possibly charge you for the full cost of insurance for the time your were on FMLA.

That''s all I can think of for now, congrats!

 

[Blenheim]

Everything was pretty painless with me. My HR was great with any questions I had.

Date: 9/28/2009 5:34:03 PM
Author: fiery
This doesn''t really relate to fmla but if you are planning on putting your baby on your employer-based insurance, contact them and see what they need. My insurance declined DD''s coverage because they never received a birth certificate but all my job required was a copy of her foot prints. And it has been hell trying to get her back on the insurance ever since.

THIS. And call to confirm that everything''s ok! DH faxed in everything that his employer needed, and they didn''t ask him for anything additional so we thought we were fine. And then we started getting denial letters, and finally figured out that the HR person he sent it to was laid off the day prior, so no one ever got it or took care of it. His company took care of it because it was clearly their error and not ours, but we''re still regularly getting denial letters and having to call the insurance company and remind them that he''s now on the policy, which is in their records. PITA.

 

[Mara]

I am just getting this process started with my HR right now...I am in CA. I have ~3 months before I go out, but I'd rather just do it now and also because during holidays things are crazy. They have been really good so far, sent me a ton of information to read and a bunch of links to peruse and I have an appt with them later this week. They will eventually do a chart for me to map out my leave, what is paid, what is PTO and what is unpaid or 1/2 etc.

They did also send something about making sure you enroll the baby on your insurance within 31 days as some IRS requirement and said no exceptions are made. It said they do not require a SSN to do this. Not sure how much info you have gotten from HR but I can give you any links she sent me that aren't state related if it helps.

 

[Peepa]

Date: 9/29/2009 1:14:38 PM
Author: Mara
I am just getting this process started with my HR right now...I am in CA. I have ~3 months before I go out, but I''d rather just do it now and also because during holidays things are crazy. They have been really good so far, sent me a ton of information to read and a bunch of links to peruse and I have an appt with them later this week. They will eventually do a chart for me to map out my leave, what is paid, what is PTO and what is unpaid or 1/2 etc.

They did also send something about making sure you enroll the baby on your insurance within 31 days as some IRS requirement and said no exceptions are made. It said they do not require a SSN to do this. Not sure how much info you have gotten from HR but I can give you any links she sent me that aren''t state related if it helps.

Hi Mara, I''m in CA too and due in 3 months. You''re due in January?

 

[Mara]

Hi Peepa...another CA baby! I am due end of Jan (31st), but plan to take 2 weeks off before so I will only come back after holidays for 2 weeks before taking off most likely. In CA we have the 4 weeks 'before' separate from the rest of leave, I think it's partial pay, so I need to also ask about that.

One of my coworkers was just telling me you can actually take your FMLA later ... anytime within a year? She is going to be taking 6 weeks off after the baby, and then coming back and taking another 6-9 weeks off in the summer to spend it with all her kids. I didn't realize you could do that!

 

[lili]

Date: 9/29/2009 2:11:07 PM
Author: Mara
Hi Peepa...another CA baby! I am due end of Jan (31st), but plan to take 2 weeks off before so I will only come back after holidays for 2 weeks before taking off most likely. In CA we have the 4 weeks ''before'' separate from the rest of leave, I think it''s partial pay, so I need to also ask about that.


One of my coworkers was just telling me you can actually take your FMLA later ... anytime within a year? She is going to be taking 6 weeks off after the baby, and then coming back and taking another 6-9 weeks off in the summer to spend it with all her kids. I didn''t realize you could do that!

Yes, you can do that w/ FMLA.
You can also take it half time and extend it 12 weeks.

 

[qtiekiki]

In CA, FMLA can be taken within one calender year of the birth, adoption and illness. It doesn''t have to be continuous. Once you use up the FMLA time, you can''t get any more time if something else comes up.

 

[MustangGal]

It''s the same in all states, FMLA covers 12 weeks of leave per year. The year can be a rolling year from the last time you took it, or calendar year, depending on how your employeer defines it in their policies. It does not have to be taken all at the same time, and could even be used for half days. They can count any time you take off during the pregnancy also, for appointments or illness related to the pregnancy, but most don''t bother with that unless it''s excessive time off, or for bedrest. Some companies offer more than the minimum though, my employer has let a few moms stay home 6 months

(too bad I wasn''t working here long enough for that when I had my baby!)

 

[gailrmv]

Depending on your employer you may also use FMLA to go back at a reduced schedule.

What I wish I had known about maternity leave is that it would FLY by, and that I would spend the last half of it dreading going back to work and totally rethinking the working mom plan I had crafted so carefully while I was preggo!

ETA about FMLA. If you have other leave (like sick time) that you can use for your maternity leave, you might want to hold a little of your FMLA in reserve in case you have some kind of emergency later on during the year.