Last time, we partly discussed how to inform your boss about your maternity leave time under the Family Medical Leave Act. Under the Family Medical Leave Act, eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid time for maternity leave and the law also guarantees the return of your position or a similar position after the completion of your leave. In this post, we will continue to talk about how to inform your employer of your maternity leave.
Often employees feel they should contact their human resources department first about leave time, but mothers planning to take maternity leave should not consult the human resources department first says Laura Kalehoff, executive editor of American Baby Magazine.
Colleagues and other workers at your workplace who have gone through the maternity leave process should be consulted first. These women who have gone through the experience can inform you what taking maternity leave at your company is actually like in comparison to the measured response from human resources.
When it is time to inform human resources of your maternity leave decision, you should know the basic rules of the FMLA regarding maternity leave. As said above, the FMLA entitles eligible employees to 12 unpaid weeks with a guarantee of returning to your job or equivalent position.
Be careful though, the FMLA may not apply to companies with fewer than 50 employees. Unused vacation or sick leave may be able to be added to your unpaid leave time or be used to receive pay during a portion of the leave period. Next time we will continue to talk about this issue.
Source: CBSNews, “Planning maternity leave,” Laura Kalehoff, 5/6/11
