Baby = How much time off?

[Sasquatch1]

My fiance' is due in November. I'm trying to get as much info as possible on family medical leave before I make an official request for time off. I need to know my rights because scheduling has a bad reputation for not working with people on this issue. I am based in California, but live in Washington. Any info specific to either state would be a huge help.

 

[The_Russian]

I believe it is up to three months by the FAMLA.

 

[BenderGonzales]

Correct. 12 weeks unpaid leave is available in addition to whatever paternity policy your company has.

Congratulations! Is it your first? We just had our first a week ago. Which explains, of course, why i'm up at o-dark-thirty looking at Flightinfo.com

Mom is nursing and i'm trying to do my part by changing the diaper. Hopefully after that we'll all get 3 or 4 hours of sleep before we do it all over again.

 

[81Horse]

Congratulations, Bender.

Seems like only yesterday we were all telling you what kind of toys to buy. Now, the adventure begins.

He-child or She-child?

 

[BenderGonzales]

Little boy. Pees on me whenever I change his diaper. (squirms around too much even if I cover it)

Quite the adventure.

 

[81Horse]

Ain't that cute?

 

[donkeykong]

I used sick days to stay home for the first 15 days. My wife used the full 3 months. It worked out well, but we also had extended family to help. Talk to your chief pilot about it. Crew Scheduling didn't have a say in the matter.

 

[MELVIS]

hey man, congrats! Whatever time you take off won't be enough. I took a month from Mesaba. You and your wife will need lots of time just to figure out who does what and is the the baby O.K. Fatherhood is the greatest responsibility you will ever know, but on the flip side it's the greatest thing you will ever do in your life. Take as much time as you can afford and enjoy the ride.

 

[Mayday911]

Just quit your job....that's what I did.

Mayday

 

[Lear70]

12 weeks is the MAX you can take by FMLA, but there are a couple of caveats.

Go to www.dol.gov and do a search on FMLA, you'll find a wealth of information.

The first and foremost important is your fiance's OBGYN. Her doctor HAS to sign the FMLA form you will get from your company. You're almost guaranteed to get 3 or 4 weeks, but unless it's a "problem pregnancy", getting 3 months off for childbirth is pretty rare unless your doctor is a personal friend.

There are two portions to the FMLA paperwork, and filling it out SOONER rather that LATER makes it easier to get the time from most companies. The portion YOU fill out has all your vitals for the company - name, social, employee number, department, date of hire, etc.

The portion the doctor fills out is the medical need portion and category it falls into. Your company DOES have to give you the time, but they only have to give you what your doctor says is necessary.

Good luck, and congrats! Ours is 8 months on the 28th, you won't BELIEVE how fast things go by!

 

[LowlyPropCapt]

I took a month off for both of mine, that seemed like enough time for the old lady to get into the groove enough that I felt o.k. about being gone.

I actually used vacation time for that month. When we had our second, I had to use a month of FMLA becuase my wife was on bedrest for the home stretch.

Good luck and congrats.

 

[ReportCanoa]

Try having a wedding first.

 

[climb2slow]

Fmla

Assuming you have been employed by your carrier for at least 12 months...you are entitled per government FMLA laws to up to 12 weeks of FMLA...You can download the forms from the web. You can choose to spend vacation bank or sick bank to pay for any or all of the time you are out. I took 88 days off when my son was born. Best time I have ever had. Came back online made my 3 landings, and no PC or anything. Just started my second stint of 12 weeks with the birth of my second son in April.

Now...if I can do this at Mesa....I'm sure you can do it at your carrier

 

[FlyUnited]

Do they allow FMLV if you aren't married to the mother?

 

[Lear70]

Do they allow FMLV if you aren't married to the mother?

As long as it's your child, absolutely.

Canoa, eat sh*t and die. I just KNEW some a*shole was going to come out with that. Wake up and smell the 21st century.

 

[ReportCanoa]

You're right. I think it would a nice gesture though.

 

[Papa Woody]

A few things:

1) FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) is a Federal law. The states have nothing to say about it.

2) You are entitled to 90 days for "paternity" leave, including a normal, uncomplicated birth of a child. No special permission of a "personal friend," nor "complicated pregnancy," is involved. You may ask for less than 90, and since it is unpaid, many folks take a shorter leave, but it's solely your choice.

3) The Company has absolutely no choice but to comply with your request, as long as your documentation is correct and timely. Follow the instructions on the app.

Congrats on all this!

 

[Lear70]

2) You are entitled to 90 days for "paternity" leave, including a normal, uncomplicated birth of a child. No special permission of a "personal friend," nor "complicated pregnancy," is involved. You may ask for less than 90, and since it is unpaid, many folks take a shorter leave, but it's solely your choice.

Good luck with that.

We tried to get 90 days, our doctor wouldn't sign off on it. Because our doctor wouldn't sign off on it, the company wouldn't give it to us.

The doctor's signature and dates of leave are both required on ALL FMLA forms, or at least from the 4 airlines I've worked for.

If you can quote a section of the FMLA that GUARANTEES YOU 90 days REGARDLESS OF MEDICAL NEED, by all means, post it here, chapter and verse please.

 

[climb2slow]

here ya go

Synopsis of Law

Covered employers must grant an eligible employee up to a total of 12 workweeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period for one or more of the following reasons:

• for the birth and care of the newborn child of the employee;
• for placement with the employee of a son or daughter for adoption or foster care;
• to care for an immediate family member (spouse, child, or parent) with a serious health condition; or
• to take medical leave when the employee is unable to work because of a serious health condition.

http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/fmla/

 

[Lear70]

Synopsis of Law

Covered employers must grant an eligible employee up to a total of 12 work weeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period for one or more of the following reasons:...

Read your own quote. UP TO a total of 12 work weeks. Not "must grant an elligible employee 12 work weeks".

It's all in the wording and I GUARANTEE YOU that you are not automatically entitled to 12 weeks if your doctor doesn't think so.

Been there, done that, have that t-shirt for 3 FMLA claims in the last 5 years, one for kids, two for surgeries. Every single time the doctor limited the number of weeks to LESS than the 12 your employer HAS to give you IF your doctor says you need it.

Verified through the 2 surgeons, 2 family practitioners, 3 nurse practitioners, and 1 R.N. in my immediate family.

 

[arthompson]

Lear and I disagree on alot, but I'll have to give him this one. I've never known an airline I've worked for to give a full 12 weeks either, however I've never taken FMLA.