When a woman decides to have a baby, it can affect all aspects of her life. Not only does her home life change, but also her career. At the bare minimum, a new mother must take time off to have the baby and recover from childbirth. At the other end of the spectrum, some women are leaving full-time careers to become stay-at-home-moms. And, many women are somewhere between these two extremes, taking leave then returning to work, returning to work part-time or changing to more family friendly careers. Whatever option a woman selects, it is important to plan ahead.
Before the pregnancy
If it is possible, it is wise for a woman to start planning before she is even pregnant. She should think about whether she would like to continue to work once she has a baby and the financial ramifications of that preference. If possible, saving money prior to pregnancy can help with any unpaid time that must be taken during pregnancy or after the baby comes.
A woman should also use this time to become familiar with all of the employee benefits associated with pregnancy. She should learn what her company sponsored medical insurance will cover. Learn whether the company offers maternity leave and how long the leave may be. Is the maternity leave paid or unpaid? If the company offers disability insurance, is pregnancy covered by the plan? What benefits will be payable by the company and by private or state sponsored disability insurance? Women should research how these benefits would be affected if they indicate they are not planning to return to work.
Once you are pregnant
While many women want to tell their employers as soon as possible that they are pregnant, it is often wise to wait a few months. At the very least, if a woman is waiting until after the first trimester to tell friends and family, she should not tell her employer prior to that time. Of course if a woman has complications or severe morning sickness, it may be necessary to tell her employer at an earlier date.
Before a pregnant woman speaks to her employer, she should familiarize herself with her legal rights. State departments of labor can provide information on pregnancy rights and the information is often readily available on public web sites.
Since the announcement can have an impact on promotions and pay reviews, if a woman is due for either of these events she may want to consider waiting to inform her boss. While the news might not have any effect, if she hasn’t disclosed it she will not have any worry about this instance for pregnancy discrimination.
Anticipate the employer’s reaction. In all likelihood an employer will be pleased for an employee, but will also have concerns about how the work will get done. It is wise for a woman to be ready with suggestions about replacement workers for her duties while she is on leave. For women who do not plan to return to their jobs after the baby is born, many experts recommend they do not tell their employers since it may jeopardize their benefits or their positions during the pregnancy. However, since each job situation is unique each woman must make her own decisions about the work environment and the information it is appropriate to disclose.
An employer will need to know a woman’s plans for maternity leave. Specifically, an employer has the right to know if a woman plans on working up until the baby is born or until a particular date. The employer also has the right to know how much maternity leave a woman plans on taking. When women plan to take advantage of post-natal benefits, for example on-site daycare, programs that allow women to bring infants to work or to work part-time, these things should also be mentioned to the employer.
While unexpected things can happen, employers look most kindly on women who leave their work organized and are prepared for someone to cover their duties. Documentation of little known procedures is valuable not only for replacement workers, but for a woman returning to her
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