Pregnancy and New York State Disability Insurance

What happens after the baby comes?

Pregnant women who are working may be eligible to collect New York State Disability benefits once they go on maternity leave. Having a baby puts your body under a lot of stress, and your doctor will not advise returning to work without some time to allow for recovery. It is important to understand how disability benefits work so there are no surprises when the baby arrives.

Function

Unforeseen complications can happen at any time during delivery. Disability benefits allow you to take that time off from work and still be compensated when you cannot physically perform your job. Under New York state law, employers are required to provide this benefit once a worker has been with the company for four consecutive weeks.

Significance

To receive New York state disability benefits, the appropriate paperwork must be submitted. A DB-450 Form, or Notice and Proof of Claim for Disability Benefits, must be submitted to the company's insurance firm. It must be filled out and signed by your doctor.

Time Frame

Under New York state law, a woman who has just given birth may receive six weeks of disability benefits for delivering naturally and eight weeks if the delivery was a C-section. The patient must submit a letter from her doctor stating what type of delivery she had in order to receive the correct amount of benefits.

Considerations

Receiving disability insurance allows you to bring in some money to the household while not working. The amount is generally 50 percent of your average weekly salary and is based on what you earned in the eight weeks before claiming the benefit. It's important to note that no benefits are paid in the first week. Some families cannot afford to be without their regular sources of income. For new mothers, returning to work means organizing breastfeeding schedules, finding time and space to pump the milk at work and making sure reliable daycare is available.

Misconceptions

Disability is paid time off. Maternity leave, or family medical leave, is unpaid time off and can be taken for up to 12 weeks. Most companies require that the amount of time you take off for disability runs concurrently with maternity leave.

References

• New York State Workers' Compensation Board: Disability Benefits