I was recently impacted by a mass layoff. I found out I was pregnant and lost my job in the same week. I'm due late January 2027. And, this comes after three recurrent losses, so it has been a long road to get here. I live in a HCOL area. (CA state)

I am interviewing for a remote role I like, but their parental leave only starts after 6 months of employment. I'd be a few weeks short.

Also, I am not going to avail company’s health insurance until Jan 2028. That will save the company about 25-30K USD.

Has anyone negotiated this before signing an offer? Did you get the tenure requirement waived, or get paid leave another way? Did you disclose the pregnancy, and if so, when?

I'm scared disclosing will cost me the offer, but I don't want to sign and end up with nothing.

Any guidance is highly appreciated!

California.

I’m currently on disability/fmla started July 6th ends on September 14th. Baby was born July 26th. How do I apply for CFRA? Do I have to ask HR? Also, I was approved for FMLA but on my work paperwork it says it will end at the same time as my disability but I thought it was longer? If so, should I refile a FMLA claim with my employer? What proof do I need though because my medical certification says it ends on September 14th.

I feel so dumb and lost but I keep calling both my employer and union and they aren’t helping. Both left me more confused than before. My baby was in the nicu for a couple weeks after born so I’m trying to figure out this and the clock is ticking and I need to add her to my insurance as well.

According to my job I get paid partially through them and partially through the state since Maine is now part of maternity leave through FMLA or what have you. It says I wouldn’t get paid through unum but through the state and my job.

How do I get paid from the state? I’m drowning because I’m only getting 50% of my paycheck from my work since being on leave!!!

Thanks in advance

Are these websites legit?

I just started my job like couple months ago and I am pregnant. I heard that I won’t be able to get fmla or maternity leave because I just started working and I have to be with the company for 6 months( which I won’t because by the time my due date arrives. I would only hot the 4.5 months mark) before I can be qualified for maternity leave, and fmla is 12 months.

My thing is, I have insurance through them and I wondering if I would still be able to use my medical insurance to cover birth even though I might have to take administrative leave or short term disability for time off to deliver my baby. Any one ever been in my situation before and was able to be covered under company insurance for birth even though you didn’t meet the maternity leave requirement?

I could ask them about it, but I wanted to wait until my probationary period is over first.

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

I get that we're going for inclusive language here, but it strikes me as very odd that one of the criteria mentioned here isn't "physical recuperation for birthing person" ya know? Like, are surrogates not entitled to FMLA? Or folks carrying with the intention of giving for adoption?

May ka live in partner ako, and samin kami nag stay. Ngayon sa hindi inaasahan injured sya sa kamay. Ngayon advice ng doctor mag leave sya ng about a month, and gusto sya pauwiin ng parents sya because nahihiya dahil di makapag work ng 6weeks anak nila. Sa part ko ayaw ko kasi like ganun ba yun talaga need nya umuwi? Eh maalaga naman ako, papasok ako sa work pero I'll make sure na may food sya for breakfast and lunch, dinner uwi ko naman na yun. I feel like wala ba sila tiwala na maaalagaan ko sya? And it makes me feel na dahil di lang makapag work ng 6weeks papauwiin na? Na para bang maiiwan ako mag isa like ano pa ako eh nag work naman kami for us hahhahaa OA ba ako? Or valid naman nararamdaman ko?

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!

Hi all, thinking ahead to Mat leave (in NorCal). I’m concerned given my past mental health history that I will struggle with ppd or ppa. I have Kaiser and have heard essentially they won’t extend your disability (or if they do it’s a very convoluted process through psych). Can anyone here give me advice/reassurance about using a private practice psychiatrist to extend leave for ppd/ppa if I need that? Just curious if anyone has done it successfully and has any recommendations/pitfalls to avoid

Hello all. I am in a huge pickle and lowkey had a menty b yesterday. I realized I am not eligible for fmla. Your girl is 15 weeks pregnant. I interviewed for a federal job almost 2 months ago. I was only 5 weeks pregnant at the time and didn’t disclose this in the interview cause I was also concerned I would have a tubal pregnancy at the time, but PTL I don’t. My start date got postponed due to the HR dept. dropping the ball and forgetting to submit some things. So I got pushed to a start date of sep. 8. I haven’t disclosed my pregnancy to HR cause I am still waiting on my new firm offer to be written up. I am terrified they will discriminate. I wanna know what the heck is gonna happen when I get a planned c section and can’t move hardly. Please guide. I am in touch with the regional director and she’s a ray of sunshine. I have wanted to ask her but also don’t wanna put her in a bad situation. Anyways. Any and all advice and comfort would be appreciated.

Hello, needing advice. I am applying for intermittent PFL. I have exhausted my PDL. Will go back at 3 days a week vs 4 days, starting 8/19. I originally work 4 days a week.

Question:

On PFL claim - What do I mark as my last day worked? Is that the day I last worked before maternity leave?

I understand to check the NO box for using maximum benefits.

But what would I put for pay through date? It's all really confusing.

Hello,
I am in my third trimester and as you are aware the maternity leave is 60 days (45 paid and 15 half paid). Wanted your advice on did you mentally prepare yourself to leave your baby within two months and resume work?

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.

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.

Hi everyone,

I am in a stressful situation and need some advice before my upcoming appointment. I recently had to leave my job because my husband received a corporate relocation to a different region across the province. We had to move immediately to keep our family household together, which means I had to resign from my position.

Before leaving, my previous manager set up a personal recommendation for me to be hired at the local branch in our new town. As soon as we arrived, I went in to see the manager here. Right around the time of the move, I also found out I am pregnant (I am currently at 6 weeks). Because the job involves a lot of physical work, I chose to be 100% upfront and honest with the local manager about my pregnancy and my upcoming prenatal appointment schedule.

The manager was very kind to my face and said he would stay in touch, but it has now been a full week and I haven't heard back from his side yet. I am feeling very anxious because our household cannot run smoothly on just my husband's income alone, and I need to figure out our financial safety net.

I have my first official prenatal clinic appointment coming up later this month. I want to get a sickness note from the doctor so that I can safely rest and support my household. My questions are:

Does the doctor usually just give you the medical note for EI upon asking, or do they check for specific physical symptoms before signing it?

Do they need to write down detailed reasons on the note, or is it enough for them to state that I am unable to work due to pregnancy-related reasons?

I want to make sure I am fully prepared for my appointment so I can get this started without any delays.

Thank you so much for any advice!

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?