Maternity and Paternity Leave Help

When communicating with your employer about an impending birth, you need to know your rights. Whether you're a pregnant/new mother or an expectant father/partner, you're likely concerned about how much you can get paid during your leave and for how long you'll have job protection. This is an especially complicated matter when taking into account employer, state, and federal leave of absence policies.

Mothers - Pregnancy and Maternity Leave

I will carefully review all of your available maternity benefit policies to ensure the maximum amount of time off under leave laws, such as FMLA.
I will provide an estimated timeline of approximately how much paid maternity leave you can receive from sources such as CA SDI, company STD, and parental leave policies.
By the end of our consultation, you'll be able to effectively communicate with HR about your leave plans.
With a clear understanding of the issues at hand, you will not forfeit any income or be misled into believing that you need to return to work before it's absolutely necessary.
If you choose not to return to work, we can map out your exit strategy.

Fathers - Paternity Leave

Even though fathers may not be physically disabled by pregnancy, they are just as deserving of a leave of absence when their significant others give birth. Unfortunately, California paternity leave laws don't necessarily apply to everyone, so it's important to understand how long of a leave you can take. The amount of paternity leave available depends on a complex web of circumstances ranging from the size of the employer to the date of hire.

I will carefully review all of your available leave policies to ensure the maximum amount of time off.
I will provide an estimate of how much paid parental leave is available from sources such as PFL.
By the end of our consultation, you'll be able to communicate your leave of absence plans to HR.
We will craft a tailor-made negotiation strategy based on your goals since partners sometimes take intermittent leaves.

Adoptive and Same-Sex Parents

Just like with pregnant mothers and their partners, adoptive and same-sex parents are entitled to time away from work to bond with their children. I will ensure that you receive the exact same services as mentioned above in the Paternity Leave section.

Even if you believe you understand everything regarding your upcoming leave of absence, it's worth having an expert double-check that nothing has been forgotten or misinterpreted. Chances are, if you're on this site, it's because you are unsure of something related to your leave; this service will bring you clarity and peace of mind.