When can I start maternity leave

Question

Just wondering if anyone knows this or knows who I can call to get an answer. I do not plan on returning to work after this baby. Does anyone know the earliest that I can legally take my maternity leave. My company offers 6 weeks at 50% pay. I have read that you can take it as early as 15 weeks before due date and 11 weeks before due date? I have a great relationship with my boss so I plan on giving him plenty of notice but I also would like to leave as early as I can!

Answer

What you qualify for depends on where you live and your company’s policy. Talk to your HR department. You also should check to make sure you can still qualify for maternity leave if you aren’t returning. Some companies won’t allow you to do that.

Answer

There are many different things at play. FMLA and short term disability, as well as company policy. I took an early leave at 37 weeks. No medical reason behind it. Just wanted the time off before baby. My FMLA was approved from my due date to 12 weeks later. Short term disability doesn’t kick in until after birth, and there is sometimes a waiting period. I had to use PTO and the. Unpaid leave until FMLA started. My company allowed this. 
I am planning to stay home as well, but I have to return for two weeks and give notice. If you actually quit your job when you go on leave, it may present issues. Short term disability is a benefit through your job. You would likely lose that and your health insurance.

Answer

Yah I don’t think a lot of places will let you go on maternity and then not come back. May ask you to pay it back even?

Answer

I had preeclampsia and so needed to take maternity leave at 36 weeks pregnant. My company was so crappy though and when I decided not to go back to work my short term disability claim was denied, they made me PAY THEM BACK for my sick time I took and retroactively terminated my health insurance to before I had the baby. Legally it was a mess and short story is there was nothing I could do. The USA is f’ed up when it comes to taking care of new mommies

Answer

It depends on where you live. I live in Canada so here depending on your job you can leave as early as you want and get 90% of your pay through something called csst. Then you can take up to another year starting a month before your due date and that’s I think around 75-80% of your pay.

When can I start maternity leave

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