so upset right now

So i figured i would start the ball rolling with my maternity leave, just try and figure out what stuff i needed to do, paperwork...etc.

well i got am email explaining everything and its not what i thought. Its practically nothing! its not even a real maternity leave!

basically it all depends on when i leave (basically im going to have to work until my water breaks)
so the day i leave i have to use 5 of my own PTO days, and after those 5 days starts my short term disability. in which is 5 weeks paid. (so on top of my 5 days, i get only 5 more) anything after 5 weeks goes to 65% of my pay! we can afford 65% of my pay!!! so basically if the dr tells me i need to stop working 2 weeks before my due date i gotta use my 5 days, and then my 5 weeks start!

so worst case i have to stop working 2 weeks before, say i go a week late, thats already 3 weeks. i only get 3 more paid weeks!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! 3 weeks??!

i also havent taken a day off yet and i dont plan on it beceause i was planning on saving my PTO so i can take addition time of my own...but say i only have 3 weeks with my baby paid by the company, and i take 2 more weeks of my own time thats still only 5 weeks with my LO!

i thought i was getting 6 weeks or possibly 8 with a c-section and then planning on taking 2-3 weeks of my own time. thinking im going to have like 9 weeks to be with the baby! but now the fact that it might not even be close to that breaks my heart!

i always wanted to be a stay at home mom! literally my dream in life is to do that! im just so affraid my baby wont even know me.

sitting at my desk crying like a baby right now!

Re: so upset right now

your baby will definitely know his Mommy! don't cry, everything has a way of working out!

Re: so upset right now

Oh Jess ... I'm so sorry. How disappointing ... I don't even have any advice, that just sucks.

Re: so upset right now

If your company has 50+ employees, you are entitled to 12 weeks of FMLA. It wouldn't be paid except for the 5 weeks of STD from what you've described, but you would have more time at home with your baby. You could possibly use your accrued vacation time after the 5 weeks of STD ran out.
This is what I did when I was out with my son. I got 6 weeks of STD at only 50% of my pay, and then used all my accrued vacation time for the remainder of the 12 weeks. 5 weeks at 100% pay isn't that bad!

Hope you are entitled to the FMLA, definitely find out.

Re: so upset right now

im in a similar boat and im sorry you are disappointed but 6 weeks paid in any combination is actually not bad at all.
although im still negotiating, so far i only get three weeks paid and then 3 weeks unpaid which will be covered by my diability at 60% pay. so be happy that you even get 6 paid weeks before your disability kicks in.
i know my disability allows for 2 weeks prior to the birth at 60% pay also. this does not effect the 6-8 after the birth which would be covered at 60% if i werent getting the first three weeks fully paid by my employer. you should look into that, cause you may be covered prior to the birth under disability. 60% isnt great but its better than NOTHING!!
think about it - some companies only allow FMLA - which is 12 weeks - but all completely unpaid.
i also want to be a SAHM, but i know the way DH and I live thats completely impossible. so IMO its not even worth dwelling on since its not even remotely a possibility at this time.
this country stinks with maternity policies. 178 countries in the world have better policies than the US.. its def not fair!!

Re: so upset right now

Re: so upset right now

It will all work out but def find out about the FMLA
I only get full pay for 6 or 8 weeks and the remaining is unpaid. I am taking the full 12w however bc my mom is not going to be done with work until the end of my leave. If I put the baby in daycare before then I will be using my salary to pay for it - so either way I am not bringing in any income and I would rather stay at home
Good Luck and def explore the FMLA and speak with HR about it

Re: so upset right now

The + thing is that your maternity leave is paid. Most companies isn't. Your short term disability is extra no? or you have short term and your company maternity leave is unpaid? It will all work out

With dd, I saved up a week vacation and then had her that week and then started my maternity leave. I had std thankfully so that helped ontop of whatever we had saved. My company gives us 12 weeks unpaid. I stayed out 6. When my disability ran out I went back to work.

You absolutely are entitled to FMLA which is 12 weeks. Talk to HR before you get yourself upset.

Re: so upset right now

Im so sorry Jess

Re: so upset right now

I agree with the others... it stinks that you are paid for such a short period of time but a lot of maternity leave (mine included) isn't paid at all. I got 12 weeks FMLA, all unpaid, and that was it - I don't even have short term disability. You'll make it work

Re: so upset right now

I promise you - I SWEAR to you - your baby will know you. It doesn't matter if you spend 2 weeks or 20 years at home w/ him - He will know and love his Mommy

My DH is on the train @ 6AM and off the train @ 7:30 PM
I am on the train @ 7:15 Am and off the train @ 6:00 PM -

My son knows who hs Mommy and Daddy are - When he's excited he looks for us, when he's upset he looks for us, when he cries in the middle of the night, it's Mommy he's calling for - not his Grandparents or Daycare teachers -

Don't get me wrong, my son LOVES his 2 days a week w/ my parents and 3 days @ 'school' - he loves his teachers and his little friends and talks about them and is happy to see and play w/ them - he learns from them, and we see things about my Mom and/or Dad in him - what he says, his mannerisms etc - but WE are his parents, and he KNOWS that, and counts on that -

Don't ever feel (or let anyone make you think/feel) that this baby won't 150% know who his Mother is !!!