Maternity Leave as Short term Disability Benefit for California Employees

Maternity leave is also referred to as family leave. It is a form of short term disability (STD) benefit provided by the government and the employer for expecting or new mothers. The employee is entitled to receive financial assistance and paid leaves according to her status in the company and her eligibility to qualify for the program.

Expecting and new mothers may have up to six weeks of paid leaves. Most companies will have you consume any remaining sick and vacation leaves before you avail of the family leave program. This would not be a disadvantage as sick and vacation leaves are paid by the employer.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) stipulates that employees who are expecting or new parents are entitled for a maximum of 12 weeks of leave. Employees can use this for birth medical leave. On the other hand, FMLA provides limited coverage for smaller private companies. State law also provides protection and benefit from pregnancy to recovery.

Short term disability

The Short term disability benefit pays a percentage or the full amount of your salary while you are off from work. California has available short term disability program automatically applied to all legal employees. You also have an option to purchase personal insurance to provide additional coverage for your medication.

Your employer may adopt a group health insurance policy. The private insurer usually includes STD coverage in the group account. The private insurer will pay about 50 to 100 percent of your salary for a number of weeks. The amount will vary depending on the number of years you have rendered, and the quality of your contribution.

You always have an option to avail of private STD insurance plan. The policy provisions may vary depending on your financial and job situation. Personal health care plan offers wider options to cover caesarian delivery and longer weeks of recovery.

If your employer has available STD benefit for you, it will supplement the existing California STD coverage. It means that the state will give you its maximum payment for your salary and health care needs. Meanwhile, the employer will pay for the remaining amount. You will receive separate checks for each.

You will need a one-week waiting period before you can receive the STD payment. You will need to inform your superiors and the human resource manager to help you process the necessary documents. You must complete and submit all requirements before you take your weeks off from work.

If your employer has private insurance plan, you must call your insurer and apply for STD program. Consult with a Short term Disability lawyer in Los Angeles to assist you in your claim.