Work Leaves and Career Changes
No matter what your career, having a baby has some impact on you because you need to take at least some time off from work. How much time you want or need is an individual choice. Some women make plans, but then find that once the baby comes, their feelings have changed. They either want more time off or feel they are ready to return to work sooner than they thought. Nothing you decide is written in stone. Before you can make maternity leave plans, you must first find out your options.
If your doctor advises you to stop working at the end of your pregnancy, you can use your sick leave time and may also be able to continue to receive payments under your employer's or state's disability leave program. To be covered, you'll need a note from your doctor.
Maternity Leave
Your company may have a maternity leave policy that allows you to take a certain amount of paid leave after the birth of a child. (Your partner's employer may also have a paternity leave policy, offering him paid time off, so be sure to check into that.) In California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island, state disability leave programs pay a new mother a percentage of her pay for a certain number of weeks after having a baby.
Family Leave
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law that allows people to take unpaid leave for the birth or adoption of a child, while keeping their job available for them when they return. This law applies to public agencies and private employers with fifty or more employees. To qualify, you must have worked twelve months and at least 1,250 hours in those twelve months. Note this is an unpaid leave, so you will need to plan for the financial impact.
FMLA also allows work leave for an illness you have or to care for an ill family member. You or your spouse can therefore use it during your pregnancy as well as after the birth.
Under the law, you can take up to twelve weeks of unpaid leave in a twelve-month period. No medical documentation is needed to qualify when you have a baby. You can take the time as one big block, or you can use it to cut back your hours. Your spouse can also take this type of leave from his employer if he meets the requirements. If you both work for the same employer, you're only entitled to twelve weeks total between the two of you.
While you're on FMLA leave, your employer must keep your health benefits in place (although you may be required to pick up the premiums during your leave). When you return, you must be restored to your original job or an equivalent job with equivalent pay. Your employer can't penalize you for taking the leave or have it affect your benefits.
How do I apply for FMLA leave?
You must give your employer thirty days' notice of a foreseeable leave, so notify her about a month or six weeks prior to your due date. If you are suddenly put on bed rest or deliver early, notify your employer as soon as you can.
You will be required to take sick or vacation leave first, before FMLA time. Your state may also have a family-leave law that will apply to you, which you may be required to use first. It also makes sense to use your employer maternity leave or disability leave first, since those are paid leaves.
Planning for Work after the Baby
If you will be returning to work after the baby comes, you will want to start considering your options now so you can lay the groundwork with your employer. You may wish to return to your regular schedule as soon as possible, which can be a great way to get yourself back on track. If this is the case, let your employer know, because he or she might assume you will be taking a lengthy leave. On the other hand, you might be considering making some adjustments at work to allow you more time at home.
For help and support as you face life as a working mother, contact 9 to 5, National Association of Working Women (
Reducing your hours or going part time for a while after the baby arrives is one option to consider. Flex-time is another option that allows you to work the same number of hours but in more convenient configurations, such as four ten-hour days or starting an eight-hour shift later in the day, instead of a traditional schedule.
Job -sharing is another alternative to consider. You and another employee share one full-time position and arrange to split regular business hours between you. If you're interested in these options, find out if they have been used successfully by other employees in your company and think about how they might fit into your life. When considering any of these nontraditional work arrangements, you'll need to get approval from your employer.
When you propose flex-time or job-sharing to your employer, put together a formal proposal that shows how the arrangement will benefit the company and that it will not cost the company more. Be sure to reference other employees in the company who have made this type of arrangement work.
Many women are concerned about being put on the mommy track after having children. It is true that choosing part-time work, flex-time, or job-sharing is likely to slow down your career. It is entirely possible to have a baby and maintain your momentum at work if you make it clear to your employer that your job is a priority in your life.
