

FMLA only requires that your job be available when you return and that your benefits continue. Does FMLA require my employer to pay me during maternity leave? Likewise, if your employer institutes “reduction-in-force” layoffs, your job may not be waiting for you. If you are terminated before starting your leave, you won’t quality for FMLA. Unlike leave under FMLA, this leave will only begin after the birth of your child. For instance, state employees in Texas are eligible for parental leave if they haven’t met the last two requirements listed above. This leave may not come with the same insurance entitlement, but can protect your job. If you are ineligible for leave under FMLA, check with your HR department to see if there are other parental leave programs that you may qualify for. When counting up your hours, sick days and vacation time do not count – just the hours that you physically worked. You must have worked at least 1,250 hours in the past 12 months.You must have worked at least 12 months in the past seven years for your employer, AND.That means small employers are exempt from this program. Your employer must have at least 50 employees.There are a few requirements to be eligible for FMLA: This includes care related to pregnancy – either for prenatal care visits, illness prior to delivery, or for recovery and bonding time after you have your baby. FMLA guarantees the employee’s job and insurance benefits during this time. The Family and Medical Leave Act allows an employee 12 weeks off to care for themselves or a family member with a serious medical condition. In the meantime, here is some basic information about FMLA to help as you plan time away from work after the delivery of your child. Talk to the human resources department at your job to understand your benefits and have your spouse or partner do the same so there are no unwelcome surprises. Some provide voluntary paid family leave, while others offer only the minimum of what is required by law. Time-off policies after a new baby vary widely by company. In fact, I sat down with Beth Aubry, supervisor of the Workers’ Compensation & Leave Administration at UT Southwestern Medical Center, to clarify some of the law’s nuances. Many Texans – and many Americans, for that matter – don’t fully understand it. If you’re not entirely certain what FMLA does – and doesn’t – cover, you’re in good company. This time is vital for moms to recover from labor and delivery and for the family to bond with the new addition. These forms are important for new parents who want to take time off work after their babies are born. Our Ob/Gyn and Maternal-Fetal Medicine offices process dozens of FMLA forms every month.
