In spite of all the babies popping out everywhere, and those about to...it is almost April after all, I was wondering how long you all get for maternity leave, paid/unpaid, whether you will return to work, will work at home, OR WHAT?


Here, in Canada, we get 1 year paid, which can be split up between parents (I think its 25 weeks maternal and 35 weeks parental).

The parental can be taken by either the mother or father, or adoptive parents. I've also heard they are possibly extending it to two years paid...and I think they are trying it out somewhere...can't remeber where though.

I am so moving to Canada!!

My company gives leave depending on amount of time you have been with them. I have been with them for 2 years so I have only earned 6 weeks! (6 weeks! What???) I have 2 weeks vacation that I can tack on to that, but any other time I will have to take at 75% pay. I am not sure how long they allow that, but I do know that if the Dr. writes that you are ok to return to work and you don't return, your job is not guaranteed.

ETA, this is in the US, Florida...

Ladies, that is so crappy...I might also add that our paid leave (paid through the government unemployment insurance) is paid at (I believe) 55%, or up to $400/week max....can't remember exactly as its been about a year and a half since mine ran out, maybe jane_bond knows....I don't know if any of the companies up here offer any sort of paid leave (wasnt in my case), but it would be nice.
I remember my boss asking me if I would be returning to work.... I told him I didn't f*cking think so, at least not for him....but he's a sexist, ignornant jerk and I was always happy to treat him as such. Its a wonder I was never fired.

My job is protected for six months, but we don't have any real paid maternity leave. We get short-time disability -- up to four weeks before due date (continues until baby is born, if baby is later) and 6 weeks after (8 for c-section). That's at about 45 percent of my pay. And California this year has a new family leave law, allowing for another 6 weeks at same rate of pay. We can use sick, vacation and personal time to get more cash while on leave.

My husband's company gives him two weeks of full pay.

I might have to move to Canada too. Maybe I'll wait to see what happens in the November election... If not, maybe I'll join my husband's company.

On the plus side, my company has great part-time benefits (yay for unions!) I plan to take advantage of when I return. As long as I work at least five shifts a month, I am entitled to full benefits: health coverage, accrued sick and vacation time, retained seniority, etc.

8 weeks paid maternity leave and 2 weeks for paid paternity leave. can tack on vacation or family medical leave. planning to go back to work after the 8 weeks.

I got 6 weeks paid and 6 weeks unpaid. 12 weeks is the max you can take and still keep your job.

The 6 weeks paid includes the first five days as sick time. So out of my 7 annual sick days, I needed to use 5 for week 1 of maternity. Then the other 5 weeks were fully paid maternity (short-term disablity) and the 6 weeks unpaid were technically family leave, which is optional. I took the max 12 weeks.

Yup, another Canadian responding who also works for the Canadian government. We do indeed get 1 year leave at 55% from the unemployment insurance benefit, but being a governement employee they top that up to 90% I believe. Also your employer can not fire you after you return from leave, so you have your job when your return. The down side is that if you decide to be a stay at home mom, you will have to repay the top up given to you.

so if you came back to work how long would you have to stay before you could quit without paying anything back?

It is based on hours worked, but I believe it works out to something like 5 or 6 months full time.

By U.S. law, companies are required to give up to 12 weeks family leave every year. This family leave is classified as paid leave or leave w/out pay. They're just required to let their employees take up to 12 weeks of family leave and guarentee them a job when they come back.

I had a C-section so I got 8 weeks of disability, which was only $58 a week, now with our new union contract I would get 80% of my pay, but when I had my son it was on the old contract and it was only $58 a week. I then took all of my vacation and sick leave and withdrew from my reserve sick leave account(which counts as income and is taxed) I had about 4 months at home with my son and we did loose income. It was so worth is though.

hey littlepear-what did you mean by "the top up given to you"?
I'm currently on mat leave in Quebec and am supposed to return to work this summer but will not be...but I haven't resigned yet..
I never heard of having to repay back anything??
please let me know if you have any more info!
thanks miss

I get 12 weeks unpaid (at least not by my work)Where my job is held for me.

but i can apply for temporary disability through california EDD (employment devolpement dept.) the same people who do unemployment. They pay up to 4 weeks before and 6-8 weeks after, i believe. but I'm not sure the % I will get. I hope it's not too bad, cause I have no more sick or vacation days for this year. took it all too soon.