Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Maternity Benefits and Tentative Plan

I talked to one of our benefit reps today about my maternity leave and how our employer, Federal, and State benefits interact. Some of the benefits are job protection and others are wage replacement that can overlap. Here is a summary and my tentative plan.

Employer
- 2 weeks prior to due date off at full pay
- 6 weeks after birth for vaginal delivery at full pay or 8 weeks after birth for c-section at full pay
- 2 weeks of paternity benefit at full pay
- Accrued vacation

If I go out 2 weeks prior to due date, but don't deliver until 1 week after due date. Employer absorbs the extra week (or whatever amount of time is involved). If I go out 2 weeks prior to my due date and deliver 1 week early, I "lose" the second week and my 6 (or 8) week clock starts.

Federal (Family Medical Leave Act)
12 weeks job protection after delivery for bonding, unpaid

State - California
Pregnancy Disability - 4 weeks prior to due date at 55% of wage. Note: It would actually be 55% for the first 2 weeks only because then the employer benefit at 100% would kick in.
CFRA - 12 weeks job protection above and beyond FMLA unpaid
CFL (California Family Leave) - 6 weeks wage replacement at 55% of salary (can/usually runs concurrently with CFRA and you must use at least 2 weeks of accrued vacation before it kicks in)

Tentative Plan - Assuming an 8/25 due date (which I need to confirm with my OB) and that I deliver on my due date and have a normal/vaginal delivery

2 w prior to due date; Last Day Work: August 11th (Thursday)
(assume 8/25 normal delivery)
6 w maternity - October 6th
2 w paternity - October 20th
2 w (10 d) vacation - November 3rd
2d vacation - November 4th/5th; Return to Work - November 8th (Tuesday)

3d vacation - Thanksgiving Holiday
4 d vacation - Christmas/New Year Holiday
1 d vacation previously used in March

I would use all of the 12 w FMLA benefit. I could use some of the CFRA benefit for the extra 2 w and 2 days of vacation plus however many days extra of I deliver late or if I have a c-section. If I deliver early and have a normal delivery, the CFRA benefit may not kick in. I do not plan on using either of the CA - Pregnancy Disability or California Family Leave Benefit.

2 comments:

Katrina said...

I am so jealous!! I get nothing paid:(...find me a job in CA!;)

Deb2You2 said...

Yeah, I am pretty happy about it. It is much more time that I was thinking I would get at full pay. I KNOW we are short on teachers around here (LAUSD school district) and am sure that there has to be some spanish teacher jobs open around here since Spanish seems to be the more predominate language around here. Seriously, it may be worth looking into/checking out. Another good reason to come visit. With the added benefit of a great SMC support system build in. Debbie