I just found out some GREAT news from my HR representative!!!
Our employer offers Short Term Disability (STD) coverage for maternity leave. For some reason, and I have no idea why, I was under the impression that STD only lasted for 6 weeks at 60% pay. I already knew that STD doesn't go into effect until 2 weeks after the leave time begins. For the first 2 weeks, employees are required to use any available Paid Time Off (PTO) that they have accrued, and then STD goes into effect after those 2 weeks are completed.
On a side note - I'm only going to have enough PTO for 1 week. The 2nd week will have to be leave without pay, which will suck, but it's my own fault for taking days off during the pregnancy when I didn't feel well. :(
Also, I want to take 12 weeks off total, so I figured that with the first 2 weeks being PTO, the next 6 weeks being STD, then the last 4 weeks would just be leave without pay. Again, this totally sucked, and I didn't really know if we could pull it off financially, but we were going to try.
A couple of weeks ago, I discussed my leave time with my supervisor and informed her of my plans to take 12 weeks off. She wrote down the tentative dates of my leave time (November 9th - January 29th, returning on February 1st) and I told her I would have all the necessary paperwork filed with the HR Department. I wanted to make sure that I asked for the full amount of time allowed by our company (12 weeks) rather than only 8 weeks and then end up asking for more time off. It's always better to ask for more and then come back early then to ask for less and request more! I figured that if we weren't able to swing it financially those last 4 weeks, then I'd come back early, but I wanted to have the option to take it if I needed it.
So, I met with my HR rep today to find out what I need to do to submit a STD claim. And guess what I found out???
Short Term Disability lasts for up to ELEVEN WEEKS!!!
Yes, 11!!!
I couldn't believe it! I was so certain that my last 4 weeks off were going to be leave without pay. I am so thrilled to know that I'll be receiving pay during those last few weeks and I'll be able to continue staying home the entire time I requested off!
::does a little happy dance::
PTO still has to be used the first 2 weeks, and the STD starts after that, so I guess technically, I'll only use 10 weeks of STD (because employees are only allowed to have 12 weeks of Maternity Leave). I guess it's 11 weeks long because Long Term Disability goes into effect after 11 weeks, which is after STD ends, and then lasts up to 2 years. Anyway, I'm pretty thrilled!!!
Thats awesome!
ReplyDeleteAnd as far as the PTO goes, you may want to double check on that as well. My company also requires you to use PTO for the first week, but its a little different. I thought that a week = 40 hours, so if I had 50 hours saved they would just be frozen until I came back from leave. Nope. The first week before STD kicks in they payout ALL unused PTO. So if I have 50 hours, they pay (in a lump) the 50 hours. If your company does the same thing, you may not lose those 2 weeks...
That is great news! Usually there is a waiting period for STD to kick in but typically, if you are hospitalized over night, which you will be, it will kick in immediately.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think it's time for a new belly pic missy! As miserable as you might be, I want to see how you've grown! :) miss you!
Hey Kel - Yeah, in our company, STD starts on the 11th day of absence, so if you want to be paid, you have to use PTO during the first 10 days.
ReplyDeleteI know, I need a pic! There were pics taken at 30 weeks from my family baby shower, but I don't have them yet. I'm going to take some this weekend at my next baby shower when I'll be 33 weeks.