HR Says I Don’t Need to Fill Out FMLA Paperwork for Maternity Leave…?
Hey everyone,
I work at a small, regional office that is part of a much larger national nonprofit.
We’re a small team that has only gotten smaller over the 3 years I’ve been here (people quitting & never being replaced, layoffs, etc) and as a result, many people in my office wear many hats.
This includes our HR director, who is also the VP of our local office and the head of our Operations team. I really like her as a person, but I don’t know how thoroughly she’s been trained as an HR Person so I’m coming to Reddit for advice.
I’m pregnant and my due date is next month (June 2026). The HR director told me that my maternity leave is covered by the national organization and will provide 100% of my pay for the first 6 weeks of leave and 60% for the second 6 weeks.
When I asked if I’ll need to submit FMLA Paperwork, she said it wasn’t needed and I’d only need a note from my doctor saying the baby was born.
I’m worried about NOT submitting the FMLA paperwork even if I’m not getting any financial assistance from the federal government. Doesn’t the FMLA paperwork give me job protection while out on leave? If I need to take a sabbatical or need to extend my time out of the office, doesn’t FMLA cover me from retaliation or dismissal?
Anyone who has more knowledge and experience in this field PLEASE help a very stressed and chronic overthinker figure out what I should do so I can breathe before the baby comes lol