FMLA-type question need advice

[yassmine2878 1]

My doctor wrote me a note that I am only allowed to work 4 hours a day from now until I go on maternity leave (2 months away). I turned it in on Friday and as of today the company still has not made a decision as to whether or not they will honor it. I talked to my boss's boss today and she said they may force me to take early maternity leave. Can they do that? And for that matter, do they really have the power to spend so long discussing and deciding about it? Arent they just supposed to honor the damn note and let me have the light duty hours ordered by the doctor? I dont get paid for maternity leave because my company doesnt offer any short or long-term disability pay. Do I have a legal leg to stand on, or am I at the mercy of their decision? Anyone with thoughts or experience, please speak up. Im panicking about losing this job because there's no way Im going to be able to find another job before I have the baby. They've had part-time employees before, and its not like Im unable to do my job, the doctor just wants me to get more rest because Im high-risk.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

My doctor wrote me a note that I am only allowed to work 4 hours a day from now until I go on maternity leave (2 months away). I turned it in on Friday and as of today the company still has not made a decision as to whether or not they will honor it. I talked to my boss's boss today and she said they may force me to take early maternity leave. Can they do that? And for that matter, do they really have the power to spend so long discussing and deciding about it? Arent they just supposed to honor the damn note and let me have the light duty hours ordered by the doctor? I dont get paid for maternity leave because my company doesnt offer any short or long-term disability pay. Do I have a legal leg to stand on, or am I at the mercy of their decision? Anyone with thoughts or experience, please speak up. Im panicking about losing this job because there's no way Im going to be able to find another job before I have the baby. They've had part-time employees before, and its not like Im unable to do my job, the doctor just wants me to get more rest because Im high-risk.

I have no idea but wanted to wish you the best of luck

[almaty 19]

sister, most companies will honor a dr. note..but if the job is full time and they are pricks they do not always have too...

[yassmine2878 1]

My doctor wrote me a note that I am only allowed to work 4 hours a day from now until I go on maternity leave (2 months away). I turned it in on Friday and as of today the company still has not made a decision as to whether or not they will honor it. I talked to my boss's boss today and she said they may force me to take early maternity leave. Can they do that? And for that matter, do they really have the power to spend so long discussing and deciding about it? Arent they just supposed to honor the damn note and let me have the light duty hours ordered by the doctor? I dont get paid for maternity leave because my company doesnt offer any short or long-term disability pay. Do I have a legal leg to stand on, or am I at the mercy of their decision? Anyone with thoughts or experience, please speak up. Im panicking about losing this job because there's no way Im going to be able to find another job before I have the baby. They've had part-time employees before, and its not like Im unable to do my job, the doctor just wants me to get more rest because Im high-risk.

I have no idea but wanted to wish you the best of luck

Ahh well, thanks for that. It does give me a bit of calming warm fuzzy Ive been a basket case over this all morning.

[russ 1]

sister, most companies will honor a dr. note..but if the job is full time and they are pricks they do not always have too...

They don't have to pay you, though. If they are large enough, they are just required to let you take some amount of unpaid time off.

Advice for everyone else - make sure that you have short and long term disability insurance. It is dirt cheap. You can buy it on your own. If it turns out that you need it, you will thank yourself (the last thing you want to worry about after a broken leg is paying the mortgage). I think I pay about $10 a month.

Other countries are far more generous. I remember Holland was great for this - 6 months maternity leave, 3 day work week after that for 80% pay, etc...

[Bassi and Zainab 1]

My doctor wrote me a note that I am only allowed to work 4 hours a day from now until I go on maternity leave (2 months away). I turned it in on Friday and as of today the company still has not made a decision as to whether or not they will honor it. I talked to my boss's boss today and she said they may force me to take early maternity leave. Can they do that? And for that matter, do they really have the power to spend so long discussing and deciding about it? Arent they just supposed to honor the damn note and let me have the light duty hours ordered by the doctor? I dont get paid for maternity leave because my company doesnt offer any short or long-term disability pay. Do I have a legal leg to stand on, or am I at the mercy of their decision? Anyone with thoughts or experience, please speak up. Im panicking about losing this job because there's no way Im going to be able to find another job before I have the baby. They've had part-time employees before, and its not like Im unable to do my job, the doctor just wants me to get more rest because Im high-risk.

The law requires them to give you unpaid leave once you provide appropriate documentation and make the request within an appropriate time period. It does not require them to provide light duty. There is something called intermittent FMLA, which would allow you to take a certain amount of leave sporadically over the course of 6 months. However, a company can choose to apply intermittent leave in full day increments so you could work three full days and take off two days for FMLA (a schedule like that as an example). FMLA leave requests are supposed to receive a response within three days of the request, even if that response is to state that they will give you a final decision by a specific date or to request further documentation. If you have medical documentation that has already begun and you are continuing to work full time, it really is a liability for them if something happens to you while you are working. They should give you a decision soon.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

If you are covered by FMLA (your employer has 50 or more employees, you have worked there for at least 12 months for a total of at least 1250 hours), then you are entitled to up to 12 weeks of leave (pay is not mandated) during a calendar year. I'm not sure whether they can make you leave f/t if all that is medically necessary is intermittent leave (working less than your regular f/t schedule) but I doubt that this is the case.

In regards to them dragging their feet, the central question your employer needs to ask themselves is whether they are prepared to own up to any negative consequences this may have on your health, your pregnancy or the well being of your yet to be born child. In this day and age, I'd say they're skating on rather thin ice. Get a qualified opinion on this from a more knowledgeable source, though.

Good Luck!

[yassmine2878 1]

If you are covered by FMLA (your employer has 50 or more employees, you have worked there for at least 12 months for a total of at least 1250 hours), then you are entitled to up to 12 weeks of leave (pay is not mandated) during a calendar year. I'm not sure whether they can make you leave f/t if all that is medically necessary is intermittent leave (working less than your regular f/t schedule) but I doubt that this is the case.

In regards to them dragging their feet, the central question your employer needs to ask themselves is whether they are prepared to own up to any negative consequences this may have on your health, your pregnancy or the well being of your yet to be born child. In this day and age, I'd say they're skating on rather thin ice. Get a qualified opinion on this from a more knowledgeable source, though.

Good Luck!

The company and I meet both sides of the FMLA equation. But I was originally planning to take 8 weeks off starting the week before I have the baby. Being forced to take leave now would put me well outside the 12 weeks allotted. I can live on part-time pay for 2 months, but not zero pay for 4 or 5 months.

I can understand them wanting to cover their tails, but they're being so hateful about it. As if Im trying to cheat them out of money or something.

*Sigh* thanks for the input though, from everyone. Its helpful to have some other perspectives on the matter.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

If you are covered by FMLA (your employer has 50 or more employees, you have worked there for at least 12 months for a total of at least 1250 hours), then you are entitled to up to 12 weeks of leave (pay is not mandated) during a calendar year. I'm not sure whether they can make you leave f/t if all that is medically necessary is intermittent leave (working less than your regular f/t schedule) but I doubt that this is the case.

In regards to them dragging their feet, the central question your employer needs to ask themselves is whether they are prepared to own up to any negative consequences this may have on your health, your pregnancy or the well being of your yet to be born child. In this day and age, I'd say they're skating on rather thin ice. Get a qualified opinion on this from a more knowledgeable source, though.

Good Luck!

The company and I meet both sides of the FMLA equation. But I was originally planning to take 8 weeks off starting the week before I have the baby. Being forced to take leave now would put me well outside the 12 weeks allotted. I can live on part-time pay for 2 months, but not zero pay for 4 or 5 months.

I can understand them wanting to cover their tails, but they're being so hateful about it. As if Im trying to cheat them out of money or something.

*Sigh* thanks for the input though, from everyone. Its helpful to have some other perspectives on the matter.

As for the time you have available to you, it's up to 12 weeks per calendar year. We are, as is no secret, about three weeks away from the end of this calendar year. Hence, the count starts anew on Jan 1, 2008. It's cutting it a bit tight on the back-end but it's close to the seven weeks you were planning on taking after having the baby. That does not, however, address the financial part of it.

Again, the best of luck to you!

[yassmine2878 1]

If you are covered by FMLA (your employer has 50 or more employees, you have worked there for at least 12 months for a total of at least 1250 hours), then you are entitled to up to 12 weeks of leave (pay is not mandated) during a calendar year. I'm not sure whether they can make you leave f/t if all that is medically necessary is intermittent leave (working less than your regular f/t schedule) but I doubt that this is the case.

In regards to them dragging their feet, the central question your employer needs to ask themselves is whether they are prepared to own up to any negative consequences this may have on your health, your pregnancy or the well being of your yet to be born child. In this day and age, I'd say they're skating on rather thin ice. Get a qualified opinion on this from a more knowledgeable source, though.

Good Luck!

The company and I meet both sides of the FMLA equation. But I was originally planning to take 8 weeks off starting the week before I have the baby. Being forced to take leave now would put me well outside the 12 weeks allotted. I can live on part-time pay for 2 months, but not zero pay for 4 or 5 months.

I can understand them wanting to cover their tails, but they're being so hateful about it. As if Im trying to cheat them out of money or something.

*Sigh* thanks for the input though, from everyone. Its helpful to have some other perspectives on the matter.

As for the time you have available to you, it's up to 12 weeks per calendar year. We are, as is no secret, about three weeks away from the end of this calendar year. Hence, the count starts anew on Jan 1, 2008. It's cutting it a bit tight on the back-end but it's close to the seven weeks you were planning on taking after having the baby. That does not, however, address the financial part of it.

Again, the best of luck to you!

Thanks for the good wishes. They forced me on leave today. Friday will be my last day