Today, I decided to do some research and get some answers regarding time off and benefits and stuff like that. Wow, was I surprised! Apparently, they don't make it easy for a new mom to decide on raising her child. You're basically forced back into the working life within six weeks of birth, eight if it's a Caesarean birth. I always thought that the day you had your child was the day your leave started and that you got a minimum of six weeks. Of course, there are some cases where the doc releases you from work early but I still thought you get six weeks from birth. NOPE. If I understand correctly (and chances are, I don't!), FMLA (which is the Family Medical Leave Act) will kick in the first day I'm out of work for the baby. That could be a day, a week, a couple of weeks, even a month - all depends on the doc, I guess. Oh and did I mention this is all without pay? No? Well it is! And I don't understand that. I mean, yay I get to keep my insurance benefits woo hoo. But no pay for 12 weeks? FUCK I don't understand the needing to use my sick and vacation time up. I don't know if that's to extend my FMLA leave or if that's to cover extra time off. And then there's something about 100 half paid days. Lawdy, I have NO CLUE what this means now that I'm writing it all down, how the hell am I going to make him understand?!?! One thing I do know for sure - whatever medical benefits we use while on FMLA, if we choose not to come back to work, I will have to payback my benefits. GULP That's like $1200 a month. I did get to check out a calendar that showed me when I'm "allowed" to come back to work and when FMLA would be up. I'd like to say I'm a little wiser but really, all I was able to figure out is that I get 6 weeks unpaid but can go up to 12 weeks if wanted/needed. Just in passing, I mentioned that I would take the first 12 weeks and that he would take the next 12 weeks, putting our child at six months for daycare. I might be ok with that.
So then I decided to look around daycare options in the town I work. There have been rumors that our organization was going to have a daycare center provided but that hasn't happened in the five years I've been there and well, it's probably not going to happen in the next five year either. But it's the main guy's running point and it is in his plans so as long as we have a budget, a school with a daycare should be in the future. Until then, I found three suitable locations. Well, actually only two because one of them has an age minimum of 2 years old. So it's a suitable facility for a toddler. Of course, what I read online is all I have to go by. I'd have to make phone calls, check references, meet the women who run the care, watch a couple of days... And of course get the prices. Because that alone is a HUGE determining factor. The one that is not in the running has a monthly tuition of $721 and that is right now, who knows what it will be like in a year or two. The good thing about the two locations is that they are home centers, with a maximum of 8 children each. Ages range from 6 weeks to 10 years old. Both offer structured days and one of them does not drive the children at all. Not sure how I feel about that but that's for a later discussion.
So what now ... Well, we need to sit down and really get serious. Maybe even need to see a therapist for some underlying issues. We need to get this place in order and of course ourselves. Money will always be an issue, when isn't it? At least I have some information to bring to the table and now we keep talking.
2 comments:
You can get 12 weeks paid by state of CA. I did with Casey. You just have to reapply. I plan on doing it again soon.
Is that part of disability? If so, I'm out because we don't pay into disability (or SS). I know there's another act out there that gives me an additional 12 weeks unpaid with no benefits.
I wish it was simple to figure out.
Post a Comment