Things You'll Need:
- Company manual
- Vacation days
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Step 1
Examine your company's maternity leave policy in detail. Don't blindly think you have six weeks of 100 percent maternity pay. The reality is that many companies only pay a percentage of your salary, if anything, for those six weeks. Other companies will pay you a larger percentage based on the amount of time you have worked for them. Maximize this time as much as you can before getting pregnant.
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Step 2
Schedule your pregnancy around your work year. It is not always possible, but when it is, try to schedule your maternity leave right before large paid breaks. For example, teachers are paid year round, but get a two-month break during the summer. If you try to schedule your maternity leave a month or so before the break, you get paid leave for longer.
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Step 3
Save up your vacation days. As soon as you find out you are pregnant, or preferably before, save your vacation days. Typically, most maternity leave plans are based on a standard FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) plan. In these plans you have to spend one week of your vacation at the beginning of your absence before any pay will kick into gear. If you don't receive full pay for your maternity leave, these saved weeks of vacation could be a lifesaver.
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Step 4
Use vacation days after your paid days during your leave of absence. Many companies have a policy that pays 100 percent for the first few weeks of maternity leave (after the first week of course), then the rest is either unpaid, or paid at a reduced percentage. Take advantage of those few weeks at the higher percentage before you start using up your vacation days.
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Step 5
Put in your two weeks notice when there are two weeks left on your maternity leave. Many women choose not to return back to work. Although it would be nice to give your employer an early heads-up, it doesn't make money sense. If you have remaining vacation days when you put in your two weeks notice, that pay will be taxed as a bonus and you will get less money.
