3 Must-Know Tips for a Smooth Maternity Leave

Maternity Leave Prep: 3 Must-Know Tips from an HR Professional Navigating maternity leave can be stressful, but careful planning can ease the process. Sunny Lena, an HR professional, shares her top three tips for a smoother transition. First, she emphasizes checking eligibility for benefits like FMLA and parental leave. Many companies follow FMLA rules, requiring at least 12 months of employment and 1250 hours worked. 'Make sure you qualify for any parental or maternity leave, or even FMLA,' Lena advises. Secondly, she highlights the importance of short-term disability insurance if your company doesn't fully cover your maternity leave. This insurance can provide a percentage of your weekly pay for a certain period. 'There's usually a waiting period, and you should find out if you can use your PTO for that,' Lena adds. Finally, she recommends hospital indemnity insurance, which covers hospital expenses. Lena shares her experience, receiving $2400 after a four-day stay. 'I got another $800 for her,' she said referring to her baby. This demonstrates the financial benefits of this insurance. Planning ahead with these three steps can help expecting parents focus on their new arrival with less financial worry.