Opinions needed please :)

[Ambermichelle]

So I have an interview tomorrow for a supervisor role and I'm really excited about it! I'm obviously further along in my pregnancy and have a bump. I'm fairly confident that if I wear this one particular shirt, it will just look like I'm a little fatter.

Anyways, I wasn't planning on bringing up the fact that I'm pregnant until/if they offer me the job. Then I was going to just let them know.

Now I need opinions because I would be willing to to work up until my due date and then take my mat leave. I know I don't qualify for FMLA and all that stuff, but I'm assuming I would get some sort of leave? Maybe 4-6 weeks? I'm a FTM, so I'm not too sure how it all works. I'm thinking I only need 4-6 weeks (granted that there's no complications or things like that)...do you think this is right? I'm so new to all of this so any info helps! Thank you.

 

[purplecupcake]

I believe they are required to give you a minimum of 6 weeks. You might be surprised though, I found out I get 3 months! The company I work for is based out of California so HR is out there and handles all that stuff - Texas would only give me 6 weeks!

Good luck!

 

[Ambermichelle]

Oh wow, that's where I am (Cali). Have you been at your company for over a year? Usually you have to be at a company for a year or longer to qualify for the 3 months off so I doubt I would qualify for that. :/ but I'm totally okay with 6 weeks of leave. I just don't know if I'll need more time then this? Do you ladies usually need longer than 6 weeks to recover?

 

[purplecat]

6 weeks your usually healed and back to almost normal hun! I was completely healed before 4 weeks but everyone is different. Even if you were completely healed you should still be feeling good enough to go back to work. I can't believe you only get 6 weeks there. In Canada you get 1 year!!

 

[Maybe1daysoon]

I'm starting a new job July 11th and can't have a single occurrence within the first 90 days which will take me to October 11th. I'M worried, but determined to make this work. I have no other choice really.

 

[Ambermichelle]

6 weeks your usually healed and back to almost normal hun! I was completely healed before 4 weeks but everyone is different. Even if you were completely healed you should still be feeling good enough to go back to work. I can't believe you only get 6 weeks there. In Canada you get 1 year!!

1 year!? Omg I don't know what I would do with myself for a year lol. I guess spend time with my LO hehe. But it's good to know that 6 weeks will be enough time. It won't be a paid leave (maybe through disability? Idk), so I'll want to get back to work ASAP!

I haven't talked to you in forever! I miss you!! Lol how are you?

 

[Ambermichelle]

I'm starting a new job July 11th and can't have a single occurrence within the first 90 days which will take me to October 11th. I'M worried, but determined to make this work. I have no other choice really.

Hmm meaning you can't miss a day at all within the first 90 days? I've heard of that too. It's like your orientation period? Are you in the US? I would think that mat leave would be protected under some sort of law because it's not like you can prevent it. :/ idk though

 

[Maybe1daysoon]

I'm starting a new job July 11th and can't have a single occurrence within the first 90 days which will take me to October 11th. I'M worried, but determined to make this work. I have no other choice really.

Hmm meaning you can't miss a day at all within the first 90 days? I've heard of that too. It's like your orientation period? Are you in the US? I would think that mat leave would be protected under some sort of law because it's not like you can prevent it. :/ idk though

Yes I'm in the U.S. At the interview today they specifically ask if for any reason you foresee yourself not being able to adhere to the policy. I agreed that I could adhere. My last baby had to be induced because he wouldn't come out, so I truly believe that I will be pregnant until October 11th (which is actually 3 calendar months, the 90 days would be a tad sooner). My due date was changed at my anatomy scan to October 19th. It's a sit down job and not overly stressful so I pray I'm in the clear.

 

[odouglass]

Department of Labor (US) says up to 12 weeks FMLA per year. https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/1421.htm and to be eligible there are a few qualifications that the business and you have to meet.

However, that time is not required to be paid, it is just time off that you are granted without losing your position. I work for the Government (federal) and we get the leave but only get paid IF we have accrued the annual/sick leave to use. It stinks, as I worked in retail before and depending on your average hours you could get between 80-100% pay for 6 or 8 weeks.

 

[Selaphyna]

it really depends on where you work. I've heard of women who had to go back in a week (i'd hate to work at those places).

For my job, I get either 6 or 8 weeks depending on the birth. Natural birth I get 6 weeks, c-section I get 8. All on short term disability (and using one of my weeks of vacation as the wait week while short term kicks in). Been at my job 6 years next month.

Also depending on where you work you may be able to choose how long you are out. With my son, I stopped working when I was 38 weeks, only because we thought I was going to go early. Ended up having him at 41weeks, and didn't go back until he was 6 weeks. I didn't get FMLA or get paid for that time off (as I was just a server at a local restaurant).

 

[Gabrielle22]

Yeah, definitely don't mention that you're pregnant. I made that mistake during 2 of my interviews, didn't go so well. They went from "I can't wait for you to start working with us" to "you are no longer a good candidate for the job" -_- ugh

 

[purplecupcake]

Oh wow, that's where I am (Cali). Have you been at your company for over a year? Usually you have to be at a company for a year or longer to qualify for the 3 months off so I doubt I would qualify for that. :/ but I'm totally okay with 6 weeks of leave. I just don't know if I'll need more time then this? Do you ladies usually need longer than 6 weeks to recover?

Ahh, yes I have been there for over a year. I didn't know about that caveat.

You probably won't need more time than that, just be mindful that many women take a couple weeks off before their due date as they are too uncomfortable to work or just want the extra time to plan/prepare. It would suck to take 2 weeks off before your due date, end up being over a week late, and then only having a couple weeks at home.

 

[Selaphyna]

Oh wow, that's where I am (Cali). Have you been at your company for over a year? Usually you have to be at a company for a year or longer to qualify for the 3 months off so I doubt I would qualify for that. :/ but I'm totally okay with 6 weeks of leave. I just don't know if I'll need more time then this? Do you ladies usually need longer than 6 weeks to recover?

Ahh, yes I have been there for over a year. I didn't know about that caveat.

You probably won't need more time than that, just be mindful that many women take a couple weeks off before their due date as they are too uncomfortable to work or just want the extra time to plan/prepare. It would suck to take 2 weeks off before your due date, end up being over a week late, and then only having a couple weeks at home.

Not to mention being bored and trying everything you can think of to induce labor naturally. It was not a fun 3 weeks before I finally got induced in the hospital to have him. lol.

 

[junbait]

it really depends on where you work. I've heard of women who had to go back in a week (i'd hate to work at those places).

For my job, I get either 6 or 8 weeks depending on the birth. Natural birth I get 6 weeks, c-section I get 8. All on short term disability (and using one of my weeks of vacation as the wait week while short term kicks in). Been at my job 6 years next month.

Also depending on where you work you may be able to choose how long you are out. With my son, I stopped working when I was 38 weeks, only because we thought I was going to go early. Ended up having him at 41weeks, and didn't go back until he was 6 weeks. I didn't get FMLA or get paid for that time off (as I was just a server at a local restaurant).

Sounds like almost a similar situation to me. I have been working for my company 6 years at the end of this month. HR informed me I get 6 or 8 weeks of paid depending on whether it is natural birth or c-section (all paid through short term disability). I can take another 6 weeks of unpaid and the job would be protected for a total of 12 weeks.

I will have almost 4 weeks 3 days of vacation, pto and sick days accrued by the time I go in for delivery (fingers crossed baby won't be early). So we plan on taking those vacation days off first and then having the maternity kick in for another 8 weeks. Also manager and director were fine with me coming back only 20 hours a week for 4 weeks after maternity before taking on all of my responsibilities at the beginning of March.

 

[Selaphyna]

it really depends on where you work. I've heard of women who had to go back in a week (i'd hate to work at those places).

For my job, I get either 6 or 8 weeks depending on the birth. Natural birth I get 6 weeks, c-section I get 8. All on short term disability (and using one of my weeks of vacation as the wait week while short term kicks in). Been at my job 6 years next month.

Also depending on where you work you may be able to choose how long you are out. With my son, I stopped working when I was 38 weeks, only because we thought I was going to go early. Ended up having him at 41weeks, and didn't go back until he was 6 weeks. I didn't get FMLA or get paid for that time off (as I was just a server at a local restaurant).

Sounds like almost a similar situation to me. I have been working for my company 6 years at the end of this month. HR informed me I get 6 or 8 weeks of paid depending on whether it is natural birth or c-section (all paid through short term disability). I can take another 6 weeks of unpaid and the job would be protected for a total of 12 weeks.

I will have almost 4 weeks 3 days of vacation, pto and sick days accrued by the time I go in for delivery (fingers crossed baby won't be early). So we plan on taking those vacation days off first and then having the maternity kick in for another 8 weeks. Also manager and director were fine with me coming back only 20 hours a week for 4 weeks after maternity before taking on all of my responsibilities at the beginning of March.

We aren't sure what is going on with mine. Since my anniversary is in July, I get another two weeks of paid vacation. I was told i have to take one of those weeks and they are going to save the other for the reason I posted above. So now I'm trying to schedule vacation. I got one at the end of this month (2nd one of my last two I got for past year) as I always take one in June to spend time with my son, but after I put in for a week in August, told I couldn't have it as my boss is on vacation the week before. And you have to put it in 60 days before vacation, so no time to put one in for July (though I may push for it). So the only time is late September. I feel weird taking one that late because I'm due early November. But we'll see. I can take FMLA up to I think 42 days or so, but I want to go back quickly (if i don't get fed up with the job in the meantime), but that's going to all depend on finding a babysitter.

 

[Enasy]

Sorry ladies im in the Uk so not much help but couldn't read and run. It still shocks me how little time you get off after having a baby in the USA. I will be on maternity leave for a whole year

 

[kitty_el]

I agree with Enasy, I am in the UK as well and will be having 9 months paid maternity leave with 6 months full pay and then 3 months unpaid if I want. I think its awful that any mother would be expected to return to work after 4-6 weeks, I cant imagine getting up for night feeds and then doing a full days work. I definitely take my hat off to you ladies in the USA.

 

[immie]

I'm really sorry about how random this is but when I saw the post come up on the second trimester forum I thought it said 'onions needed please' so I expected to read about some mad craving for onions haha! I was thinking, what's a job interview got to do with onions. Then I read the title again, sorry, had to share with you though, i'm a dumbass