Maternity Leave: Know Your Rights, but Also Know the Financial Impact

Having a baby is a blessed event, but it also leaves a mother-to-be with a lot of things to think about. She needs to outfit the nursery, buy baby clothes and diapers, pick out a name and much more. And if she is employed, she needs to consider how to handle maternity leave.

As in most countries, United States law gives pregnant women certain rights when it comes to employment. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 governs most aspects of maternity leave. But it's important to realize that the law has a number of limitations.

Under the FMLA, new mothers are entitled to up to twelve weeks of leave. The leave may begin before or when the baby is born. The employer is required to hold the mother's job or a comparable one for her in her absence, as long as she does not exceed the twelve-week time limit.

It's important to remember, however, that these requirements do not apply in all situations. Companies that have less than fifty employees do not have to grant maternity leave. Even in companies that are required to grant leave, the employee must have been with the company continuously for at least a year and have at least 1,250 hours of service.

Another thing that's important to understand about maternity leave is that employers are not required to pay employees while they are out of work. They are only required to continue paying for health insurance. Some employers choose to offer paid maternity leave, but they are under no legal obligation to do so.

Employers can also require those taking maternity leave to use vacation time and sick leave before taking leave under the FMLA. This will result in getting paid for part of your time off, but it will probably also leave you without paid time to use once the leave is over. So if you have to take a day off because you or your baby are sick, you probably will not receive compensation.

Unpaid maternity leave can put a strain on the budget, especially during a time when you are experiencing many new expenses. That's why it's so important to know your employer's policies ahead of time. If you will not be paid during your leave, it's crucial to save up some money to tide you over until you get back to work.

It's important to take the time to recuperate and bond with your baby after his birth. But it's also important to make sure you have enough money to make it during this time. So be sure to study your employer's policies carefully, and if you will not be paid, make sure you have the reserves to make it on a reduced income.