r/ParentalLeaveAdvocacy

My due date is Dec 25. My company (small office, ~10 people) is closed Dec 21–Jan 1 for the holidays and reopens Jan 4. No one is working during this time.

I’m planning to take 16 weeks of leave (I’m eligible for up to 20 through my state’s PFML, so I have some cushion). My thought: if I give birth during the closure, it makes sense for my official leave to start Jan 4 when the office reopens, rather than “spending” leave days on a week nobody’s working anyway.

There’s no precedent at my company for this — I’d essentially be setting it. My boss will ultimately decide.

It feels odd to me to use a company holiday benefit — one that applies to literally everyone in the office — as part of my mat leave. But I also don’t have a great counterargument if my boss says “you asked for 16 weeks, why do you care when they fall?

Would love help thinking through how to actually message this to my boss, or hearing how others have navigated something similar.

I’ve had a really tough time since giving birth 3.5 months ago. PPD & PPA have had me in a chokehold but I’m better now. I was having really bad anxiety about being able to go back to work especially if I was going to be able to afford the on-site daycare because we exclusively breastfeed (not my choice)

My manager just called me today and said when I come back I am coming back to a promotion and pay increase. It’s nothing crazy but it’s a little peace of mind because funds have been tight around here with me not working full time and I’ve been debating if it’s worth going back to work there.

Just wanted to celebrate with someone because dad is away at work and baby doesn’t get it haha

This may or may not be the right place for this, but I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow. I'm supposed to go back to work next month and am NOT READY. I have to start pelvic floor therapy (she's the one who recommended/said its necessary) and I have had several back spasms that left me unable to walk without pain. I also had this horrid symptom called Dyphoric milk ejection reflux- which made me feel incredibly nauseous. I'm breastfeeding and reviving from pregnancy BV that keeps reoccurring since pregnancy. Ugh so many symptoms.

I also am starting therapy for pretty severe PPA... which leads me to I have anxiety about asking her to put me on disability. I know I have perfectly good reason but idk why doctors have this shame factor. Worse case is she says no. What's the best way to ask? Any advice helps.

She gave me an extension already during pregnancy so maybe that's why I feel shaky about it.

Not to mention I am really having a hard time letting anyone watch my baby. My in-laws love him but I don't see them as capable enough to care for him while I'm at work. My husband works full time.

Thank you in advance!

I'm trying to figure out whether I should consult an employment attorney about a recent layoff. I've changed a few nonessential details for anonymity, but the general timeline and circumstances are accurate.

I'm in Georgia and was laid off from the small company that I worked for well over 5+ years. I recently returned from maternity leave after having my first baby.

Before I went on leave, I had a full client workload. While I was out, some of my accounts were reassigned to more junior employees to give them opportunities to lead accounts. One client/project ended while I was out, which we knew was going to happen. When I returned, I had WAY fewer accounts than I had before leave, although I was still working on several clients and was also added to a new project.

One of the larger clients I returned to was having business/retention issues, and the business ultimately lost that client (which was one of the biggest clients, it was a big loss). They started reevaluating whether or not to keep my company on while I was out on maternity leave. When I returned, the team I was on was already almost done with the presentation to keep the biz. I wasn't involved at all.

About 2.5 months after I returned from maternity leave, I was laid off.

In the termination meeting, they told me that the company had lost a significant amount of business and that the layoff was not because of my performance or anything I had done. They specifically described it as a business/workload reduction.

The employment agreement I signed when I started includes a termination provision, confidentiality provisions, and client/employee nonsolicitation provisions. The termination paperwork also contains a non-disparagement provision. I have not signed the separation paperwork yet. They are giving me 4 weeks of severance, which I'm not sure is worth signing it? I wasn't paid well to begin with.

The thing I'm struggling with is the timing. I was laid off only about five months after having my baby and returning from maternity leave. Given the timing and the changes to my workload while I was out, I'm wondering whether there are enough facts here that I should have an employment attorney review it.

Does this sound like something worth taking to an employment attorney, or does it sound like a pretty standard legitimate reduction-in-force situation?

Is four weeks of severance typical in this type of situation? I'm thinking I should fight for more? Something like a week or two for every year served?

Should I avoid signing the separation paperwork until an attorney reviews it?

Basically I'm just wondering whether there are enough potential red flags here to justify paying for a consultation with an employment attorney.

Thanks!!!

So I was contracted through a temp agency for my previous job, from the beginning they promised a contract to hire in 6 months. 6 months passed and my supervisor got fired. With that being said new supervisor said he had to see our performance before bringing us on. Its now been a year and my wife is pregnant with a high risk pregnancy. Immediately notified my supervisor just in case for emergencies.

Fast forward to her 8 month I had just got approval to get fmla set up since I didnt qualify for paternity. At this same time we got a new supervisor. From the get go he was very pushy towards me. Said I should have been let go due to my tardies from doctors appointments that my previous supervisor was well aware of. Went from top 25 employee one month to needs improvement the next with this new supervisor. Had my one on one with him on a Monday asked me what my fmla was for and just said ok. Come Wednesday that week I was notified I had been let go.

All of my FMLA paperwork was filled out already and both my staffing agency and contractor company were aware. I feel like it was done in retaliation. I have no access to my monthly one on ones how it just drastically changed. Is there any legal process I can pursue?

Is it legal to deny MN Paid Family Leave, entirely, for a woman (my bride, and not on Reddit) who had to miss a lot of work due to HG during her pregnancy? The company ate her PTO as part of it and had agreed to reduce her paid leave by a day for each day she was otherwise unable to come in. She just had her claim denied due to "insufficient evidence" - that is, her former HR manager never filed any paperwork despite being asked to.

Do we re-open the claim, or what can we do? We're not really able to just swallow all the debt that built up while we were waiting for the claim to go through.

Any advice before getting pregnant as a self-employed art therapist? Any recommendations for short-term disability plans that are affordable and worth the money?

Any tips or tricks welcome! What do you wish you knew ahead of time!

Hi everyone

For context I’m a supply EA in a public school board in Ontario. I plan to try for baby number 2 in December 2027 - I know it’s far off but it’s IVF hence the planning.

I took my EI this summer and the claim period is until next July. I know I need 600 hours to qualify for maternity leave. However, how do I go about taking a sickness leave prior to maternity leave knowing I will have a cerclage and very high risk pregnancy (go off work at 20 weeks with a doctors note).

Knowing all this when would be the best time to get pregnant too…aiming for a July due date at the earliest of 32 weeks - my first was born at 24 weeks so I’m positive I won’t make it to term.

Help me figure the system out.

Thanks!

I’m trying to figure out when I should actually start planning my leave and handing things off at work. Well. There's part of me that wants to prepare everything months ahead and the other part thinks I’m overthinking it. When did you start preparing and how did you do it?

Hello, am I correct in remembering that CFRA (for baby bonding) eligibility is determined when you start PDL if taken back to back? I have worked for my company for 18 years,so the 12 months is no issue, but the 1250 hours are determined as of the date I go out for PDL, not the date I would start my baby bonding after my PDL is done?
If CFRA eligibility is determined when PDL starts, this is part of the law and not based on employer policy, correct?

Location: Los Angeles, CA. I’m the earner in my marriage and 11 weeks pregnant. I work where there are mass layoffs constantly (basically everywhere in the USA right now) and there is one next week. I’m very concerned and would greatly appreciate guidance on how to protect myself in the worst case scenario. I have savings but it’s modest and would only last a few months in Los Angeles. My husband and I don’t have family money so we would really need to get creative without my job and health insurance. My husband is a creative and doesn’t make enough to support us both and baby, plus no health insurance.

Knowing the current layoff culture in tech, I’ve documented when I told my boss and have that in writing. HR was also made aware last week due to an unrelated family planning benefit I’m awaiting payment on. That conversation is documented in my original case to them.

What else can I do and how realistic is it that I could negotiate severance with an employment attorney?

Thank you again. It’s so hard being a working woman trying to start a family in this economy/country. I waited so long to start a family and this is precisely why.

I am currently 16 weeks pregnant, I have severe pelvic bone pain that makes me feel like I can’t walk, I also deal with a lot at work and I am constantly overwhelmed and stressed to the point where I have anxiety all day, chest pains and I get contraction like feelings in my back and stomach.

I have mentioned the chest pains to doctor and pelvic pain but she just recommended a belly belt and yoga.

I need assistance to possibly be place on disability or some other kind of accommodation, I constantly feel like something will happen with my pregnancy because of stress and want to prevent that.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you

Hi moms/moms to be! I got laid off (thanks to AI!) in late may at 5 months pregnant. I am almost 29 weeks pregnant now and interviewing for a remote role I think I have a good chance of getting, in the final stages. I just want some advice on when/how/if to disclose. Here's what's going on:

-I'm due to be induced sometime between October 19-26. Earliest imaginable job start date would be late August assuming I get an offer and they move quickly.

-I'm in California so at minimum want to take 3 months (1 month before due date, 2 months after), which means I'd work for like a month before leave lol.

-I will get paid by the state for those 3 months of leave whether I take this job or not, since I've paid into CA disability/social programs via taxes for a good decade before getting laid off.

-I'm a higher earner so even a month's worth of income would help our fam a lot right now vs. my unemployment checks.

After getting laid off while pregnant (mass lay off, no discrimination), I'm of the opinion that I've gotta do what's best for us and don't really feel bad if I "screw" a company over by taking leave so soon. But I'm still at a loss as to when to actually disclose, how to do it, can I ask for any accommodations before or during leave, etc. etc.

Thank you!

Hi there,

I am freaking out and need some reassurance and advice.

I am 31+1 today and in short my mental health has taken a dive off a cliff. Both my OB and Psych want me out starting sooner versus later on Medical Leave with STD because I am having panic attacks near daily. If I take leave I would be doing an IOP program basically until baby is here.

They would then transfer me to medical leave for however baby arrives - baby is transverse now so currently looking like a c-section.

FMLA would start when I go on medical leave, and then OB would write my works disability company (Hartford) for a PWFA extension of leave as medically there would be a 4 week unprotected gap post birth at the longest. I would also request extension via HR at my company once baby is here.

My job provides 12 weeks of paid maternity leave separate from FMLA / medical leave, so all in all I would not be returning to work til late Feb / early March.

I am scared to get the help I need because of potential retaliation from my company. I understand in theory that is illegal but I am just worried and freaking out.

Can someone give me advice on what to do, or share their experience?

Hello, new to this sub, so let me know if I need to be asking this somewhere else.

I had a chat with my manager at the time, and my HR person regarding paternity leave, in the meeting I informed her of my partners expected due date and she then informed me that I am allowed 1 month off, and that I can either take 2 weeks once the baby is born and then take 2 weeks next year (valid for 1 year from when the baby is born)

I informed her that I’ll decide later once speaking to my partner and I’ll let her know shortly.

My partners due date is 21st November 2026, and I have PTO already booked in for 1 week for 21st to 24th December.

Soon after, I made my decision, which was to take 2 weeks now, and then 2 weeks next year. At this point, I also changed manager. My new manager took this request to her, and now my HR person has informed me that, since the due date is in late November 2026 (she already knew this from when I told her on the first call), and I’ll only be back working for 2 weeks (2 weeks off + 1 week off in December) she said that from a resourcing standpoint, this doesn’t work for the business.

I informed my HR person that, I’d be on a project from end of October, so resourcing shouldn’t be an issue, as even though I’ll only be working for 2 weeks, I’ll be working on the project. She’s rejected this and said the same point of resourcing issues (not sure what she’s talking about here, and I believe she’s being stubborn).

I don’t understand where she is coming from, as if I take the 3 weeks off, which she wants, I’ll only be working for 1 week and then I’ll be off for another week. so how is this not a resourcing issues too?

I want to see what you guys on Reddit think of this nonsense and what I can go back to her with?. As whatever argument I put on the table to defend me having 2 weeks now and 2 weeks later gets shut down.

I have a call with my manager tomorrow to discuss further

Thanks!!

I have 3 jobs currently and am planning on going in maternity leave in the next month. I am a bit concerned about them finding out I’m working other jobs. Anyone have any advice? Or handled something like this?

Job 1: I got 12 weeks off through FMLA, I apply for STD benefits through Unum to offset the companies pay so I’m still getting paid from my company if that makes sense.

Job 2: I get 14 weeks off through a third part Alight Absence. I have used there benefit before while worked a second job and never had an issue.

Job 3: I don’t get paid leave so I just won’t be working for awhile.

Job 1 is my “main” career and they have a clause that requires you to tell them if you work other jobs and I have not done so. I am worried the STD company will discloses that to them when i apply. Although I’m not exactly sure what all they check for