Maternity Leave Decisions
With many women now-a-days having jobs, pregnancy can cause many questions about the future of their careers.
Human resources consultant Jane Evans says it’s best to inform your boss you’re pregnant after your first tri-mester, but before you start showing.
"I would recommend you tell your employer, boss or supervisor first, before you tell other employees you don’t want them finding out through the grapevine," says Jane Evans, JK Evans & Associates.
Evans says to review your company’s policies regarding paid leave you may have available, decide how long you want to take off, then have a private meeting with your boss and tell them your maternity leave plan.
"Have in mind when you want to return and if you want to return part-time, full-time, and work with the employer so they can help you transition. It might be good to let them know who might be able to take on some of your duties while your gone. Maybe offer to help train or cross-train another employee to take over your duties," she says.
Through the federal Family and Medical Leave Act a woman has a right to 12 weeks of unpaid leave. Attorney Ben Whitacre says if a woman meets the FMLA requirements she’s protected.
"There’s very strict discrimination laws that deal with that so in no way can a female who decides to take maternity leave be terminated or demoted solely because she had to take leave for her pregnancy," says Whitacre.
However, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled last month in favor of a Pataskala company that fired a woman who took maternity leave before meeting the company’s minimum service requirement for employees to take leave.
"Their policy in terminating her is basically constitutional and they would be entitled to terminate her, absent any other showing of discrimination or differential treatment basically for her inability to work," he says.
Whitacre says FMLA also provides leave for women who need to go on bed rest. He says if you feel discriminated against due to your pregnancy you should first take it up with your employer, then the Ohio Labor Commission and if all else fails take court action.
An interesting side note: fathers who meet the requirements are also qualified for FMLA leave.
