Rotten disability policy

Okay, I'm venting here. And I know I should be grateful for what I am getting, because so many mothers get so much less. But, grrrrr!

I only get 6 weeks of disability TOTAL for a vaginal birth and 8 weeks for C-section. I just found out today that if I go on bedrest, my disability starts immediately. So if bedrest starts 2 wks before the babies are born, I only get 4wks after they're here. That makes no sense to me! Bedrest is completely different from birth recovery. And, contrary to what I was first led to believe, the elimination period (where I don't get paid) is PART of the 6wks or 8wks. So it boils down to disability insurance paying only 2 or 4 wks. What's the point?!

I can still take my full 12wks of FMLA leave, but it would be unpaid. Not a good time for that. We just found out that we have to redo our septic system because the previous owners did not maintain it and it's failing. It could cost up to $10,000! Ugh! I can't be without a paycheck for 8-10 weeks!

Oh, I want to cry! I should have stayed at my previous job - I got 12wks PAID maternity leave. But they would not flex at all on my hours and I had to pump in a shower room.

 

Sounds like we have very similar insurance, although I did find out that if I was put on bed rest and had to use up my short term dissability I could then possibly move to long term dissability. Is that maybe an option for you?

 

You are right, it does stink. It is just a shame that our country does not do more to help mothers stay home a bit longer after giving birth. When I was teaching when I had my oldest DD, I didn't get any disability or anything, I got the 12 weeks FMLA, and had to use my sick leave, that is the only way I got paid for it. Luckily I had saved up for 5 years so I had enough to cover the full 12 weeks, but then went back and had no leave. I'm sorry you have a rotten policy. :hug99:

 

Oh I feel your pain. I have been on bed rest for 6 weeks and have used up all my paid time already and my babies are not even due to come for another 2 weeks. So my entire 12 weeks of FMLA is going to be unpaid, plus the 2 weeks before then. It almost makes you want to go back earlier to get paid...

 

Hmmm, that part about your maternity benefits starting before the birth is kind of weird. I was on disability prior to birth, and my maternity leave started after. I only got 6 weeks for a c-section, so 8 is good! But I was paid all the disability time prior to the birth too.

It stinks, America needs some better laws for birth leave.

 

Aileen, :hug99: Vent away Momma. I wish our country did more for Mothers, but unfortunately they don't so we get the short end of the stick. :hug99:

 

I got no disability payments at all. I was required, by my employer, to stop working at 32 weeks, but there was no payment attached to that. In all, I ended up about 6-8 weeks without pay. DH is a SAHD, so he wasn't working either. It was very tough financially.

 

I'm so sorry...unfortunatley, that's how our country works. It stinks! My short-term disability (personal plan, not through work) I was able to collect on when I went on bedrest...same as you. My FMLA was also in conjunction with my bedrest...so I spent 7 of my 12 weeks WITHOUT babies just holding them in at home. Then, the twins were in the NICU for almost 3 weeks...so that left me with only 2 weeks of FMLA left AFTER they came home. There was no way I could go back to work after my preemies only being home for 2 weeks. Plus, I was still recovering from the c/s and I had gall bladder surgery 2 months pp after the twins. It was nuts. Needless to say, I was "terminated" from my job at the end of my FMLA b/c I was unable to go back...but I did get to collect unemployment for 6 months...so that was at least something! My FMLA was all unpaid. I was off work for 6 months with NO pay. It was hard, but doable. Many hugs going out your way!

 

I work for the federal goverment and don't get disability or maternity leave either. I took the 12 weeks of FMLA, but had to use my sick and vacation time to get paid. If I hadn't saved up enough, the FMLA would have been unpaid. Everyone tells me I'm so lucky to work for the government because benefits are great... but they stink for pregnancy and birth!

It really is a sad state when so many of us have no maternity or disability benefits. If only Canada wasn't so cold... =)

 

Well.. GET THIS!!!

I am a TEACHER for the STATE of Minnesota and just assumed I would get PAID disability for my bedrest from 30 weeks til delivery at 35 and 2.. and then 8 weeks PAID Maternity Leave.. I went on this assumption for the entire time.. Until I FINALLY realized I was not collecting a dime..

Call HR and GET THIS!!

I got ZERO paid Disability. Which means.. I quit work at 30 weeks pregnant WITHOUT PAY.

Had the babies at 35 weeks and 2 days and got ZERO NONE ZIP Paid Maternity Leave!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did not collect a DIME!! I have worked there for over 5 years and am still EXTREMELY angry over this. I feel that it is discrimination and that I need to do something about it. I hate to rehash it but it really seems WRONG to me.. especially in a profession where we NURTURE CHILDREN!!

So... I'm horrified at your situation but seriously ILL and FURIOUS over mine.

I quit my job!

Things really should be better for Mother's and Pregnancy. It't NASTy the way we are treated.. Have to wonder if MEN were having the babies-- how much PAID leave would they get?? Food for thought.

The good news is; this REALLY helped me decide to be a SAHM!

 

I could not qualify for disability because when I changed jobs, I was already pregnant and the policy would not kick in for 10 months just to cover that kind of situation. With 4 weeks strict bedrest and having the boys home 9 weeks, i went though my FMLA and all of my vacation and sick leave but fortunately got paid because i had the leave saved up.

This time around, same situation. I was going to get disability before we decided to try but lo and behold got pregnant on the pill and now I have very little vacation and sick leave (used as accumulated with two babies that spent time in the hospital with various illnesses this winter) and will likely have to take mostly unpaid FMLA this time. With toddler twins and another little one on the way, it's not the time to take leave without pay but I have no choice!

Totally sucks!

 

Mine is the same way, also took off two weeks earlier than planned because of bedrest. that's why in five months, I didn't miss a day of work so I can build my vacation time. After my sick time was used up (6 weeks worth) I was able to get a month out of my vacation time and some co-workers donated an extra week.

All in all I only got three months maternity leave paid, I wished I could have stayed out longer but that would mean not getting paid for it.

 

I'm sorry to hear about your disability benefits- mine were very much the same. I had to save all of my vacation time for over a year in order to have 11 weeks of paid leave (the last week was unpaid) but it was hard. I was lucky that my pregnancy was uncomplicated and I work at a desk so I worked up until my due date. I agree with everyone else- this country has a lousy attitude towards pregnancy and birth. Some countries give you a year off! 12 weeks is nothing. At 12 weeks my boys just finally started to recognize me and come out of their baby "coma". And then it was time to pass them off to childcare. It's not nearly enough time... good luck- I hope everything works out for you!!

 

who told you - HR or the state - i would double check.

I was off for 4 weeks prior to the twins coming and was on short term disability. After they were born, I was another kind of disability and i got that for eight weeks. In both cases, i got about 1/2 my salary from the state and 1/2 from work. After the 8 weeks, I got California Paid Family leave for 42 days and I used some of my vacation. the California paid leave was the same amount as my SDI - and using my vacation covered it so i was whole. At the end of the day, I really have no clue how much money came from where...and since the disability checks were not taxed it felt like 'more money.'

Again, it all depends on your state and your employer...but I'm quite saddened to hear how bad it is/was for so many people.

 

I am also a teacher. I teach in NJ and we do not have state disability. If you don't have your own disability policy, you get nothing at all. Thank goodness I have a policy that usually pays four weeks before your due date and six weeks after the babies are here. It does have a 30 day waiting period though. With twins you can go out at any time, of course. So I have work paying for my 30 day waiting period and then my disability kicks in. I just think they should give more time after a c-section. I am used to not working during the summer, so it is not a big deal. I will have to go back in September.

I also purchased a hospital policy. It became in effect April 1, so it should be fine for the twins since they will probably be born early. It will pay me for every day the twins are in the hospital. That should help with my first daughter's daycare expenses and me traveling back and forth to the hospital after I am released.

 

that sounds like normal disability policy...mine was the same way however since my C-section incision didn't heal I couldn't be released to go back to work after 6 weeks (I had planned and saved for 6 wks paid and 6 wks unpaid) so they had to continue to pay me - I got lucky enough (well if you want to call a 6 inch open incision lucky) that 10 of my 12 weeks wound up being paid...

hey - my husband and I work for the same company ergo FMLA would be - get this - SPLIT between the 2 of us if he decided to use any FMLA time after the twins were born - and thats federal law....

 

Same thing happened to me and I definately didn't think to ask about maternity leave when I got the job DH and I were not married and we didn't have our own home yet funny how fast things can change in a year. Anyway, I worked for a small law firm with 6 weeks upaid maternity turns out if their are less them 15 employees they don't have to pay you for mat leave! So I could of took 6 or 12 weeks but I was getting paid for none of it. DH and I decided I would SAH since when I did go back we would need daycare and my paycheck would just about pay for it anyway. I left work when I was 7 months with the boys and think it contributed in me carrying them past my 39th week. Check out www.laborlawtalk.com this is where I found out info for disability/mat laws in my state.