Resolved Question

Unpaid Maternity Leave and Short term Disability?

I get 3 months unpaid maternity leave and I filled out what I wanted to have on my med. insurance months ago before I found out I was pregnant. I didnt add the fee for short term or long term disability. Ive heard you could use short term disability for the time you are on unpaid maternity leave. So my question is can I ask to add on the short term disability now or am I pritty much screwd with no ncome for those 3 months? Thanx in advance for your answers

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Unless there is a qualifying event, and pregnancy is not one, you are not going to be able to add short term disability and get paid. So you either need to start saving money and your sick leave, or not stay off work for 12 weeks. You are can have 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave that is protected by FMLA, but that is not a monetary benefit, it is job protection for 12 weeks. If your company has open enrollment soon, you can add short term disability, however you should ask your HR department if you have to have short term disability prior to getting pregnant.

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Other Answers (2)

• Some employer's short term disability policies do cover maternity leave. (I cannot state what would be covered on YOUR employer's policy. However, every employer short term disability policy I've ever had covered maternity leave. At least, the first 6 weeks or so...not necessarily the whole 3 months.)
  
  The point is basically moot though, because you're already pregnant. You can't just change the benefits you chose through your employer any time you feel like it. You can find out with your HR/benefits office whether there is an open enrollment coming up, and whether you'd be able to select that coverage to help pay for your maternity leave. BUT...I suspect you're out of luck, and that its too late to do anything about it.

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• Pregnancy is not a illness, nor a disability. So no you can not say for 3 months you have been short term disability.

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