We’ve had some amazing stories come through for Women’s Money Week 2015. Check out some of the great posts below:
Canada vs U.S. Maternity Leave: Here’s Our Experience With Both at the Dough Report
When Radhika and I moved from Toronto to San Francisco two and half years ago with our toddler, we knew it would be an eye-opening experience. We’d travelled to the Golden State many times, but you know what they say: to really get to know a place, you have to live there.
And come to know it we have: both the good parts, which are almost too numerous to list (weather, food, wine, etc) and the bad, which include an outrageously high cost of living, a byzantine medical system, and, as we learned getting ready for the birth of our second child, maternity leave that really does leave you wanting.When my wife found out she was pregnant with our second child last year, we knew right away that we’d have to start researching, planning – and saving – for maternity leave, U.S. style. And now that our son is four months old, it’s safe to say we’ve seen both the Canadian and American systems up close – here’s what we found.
My Parental Leave at Little Miss Moneybags
I was working when I became pregnant with my first child. We tried to time the pregnancy so that I would qualify for FMLA leave, and we planned for me to go back to work. As a quick refresher, FMLA provides 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for qualifying employees (you have to be employed full-time at your job for at least one year, and there are other criteria which you can find here – as you can see, it’s very easy not to qualify for leave). My employer was required to offer FMLA leave, and I did qualify once I’d been there for a year. There is no additional state mandated leave where I live. I also had a disability policy that provided 60% of my salary for 6-8 weeks following giving birth.
Pickle was born unexpectedly 25 weeks into my pregnancy – 15 weeks before her due date. If you do the math on that, you can see that I didn’t even have enough maternity leave to make it to what should have been her birthday before I had to go back to work.
Maternity Leave Laws Don’t Effect Pay in Gender Inequality at Femme Frugality
It’s a never-ending battle: to stay at home or return to work after having children? The answer is different and difficult for every woman. In the United States, it’s sometimes even used as an argument for discrepancies in gender pay equality. It shouldn’t be.
Are You Prepared for Maternity Leave? at Planting Money Seeds
Anyone with children knows that kids cost money. Having a new baby requires changes to your financial plan as well as to your lifestyle. When planning for the new addition to your family, it’s important to consider maternity leave.
Dealing With a Return to Work After Maternity Leave at Live Rich Live Well
There are a number of challenges women face when they return to work after maternity leave. In my case, it was fairly easy to transition back. I was 23 years old, and working as a cashier while I waited for my husband to finish his undergraduate degree. We couldn’t afford for me to take more than four weeks off, so that was the length of my maternity leave. However, being a cashier and taking leave doesn’t really mean problems for most people. All it means is that shifts are shuttled around.
Getting Ready For Maternity Leave? Don’t Forget About the Money! at Lowest Rates
Congratulations on your pregnancy! Have you thought about how you’re going to pay for it? I know that seems like a harsh question but trust me you need to think about it. I’m not trying to bring you down, I just want to make sure you’re financially prepared for the next phase of your life.
Maternity/parental leave in California at A Gai Shan Life
SDI, FMLA, PFL, oh my! PiC and I are eligible for protected leave in various forms after Little Bean’s birth, not all the same, and not all equal, so it was a bit of a maze figuring it all out.
PiC is entitled to six weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave under FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act), and qualifies under the birth of a child. This has to be taken within one year of birth.
His employer also pays for an amazing six weeks of parental leave to be taken during the year following the child’s birth.
9 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Becoming A Work-At-Home Mom at Early Bird Mom
Having a new baby is often the impetus for a mom to look into working from home. A home-based job usually offers lots of perks for parents- perhaps flexible hours, part-time work, no commute. But working from home also brings a lot of challenges.
Whether you’re continuing on in your current job from home or you’re starting up a new venture working from home, be prepared for a lot of changes.
