Can You Draw Unemployment if Your on Maternity Leave
Unemployment Benefits During Maternity Leave
Updated : September 24th, 2021
Can you collect unemployment benefits during your maternity leave? Well, you have landed on the right page for the answer! Here, we will tell you if you qualify for unemployment benefits during maternity leave and much more.
Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Maternity Leave
You may have heard this term before, or it may be your first time. FMLA lays down rules and acts as the guiding principle for maternity leave and allied benefits. While some employers are legally obligated to provide employees with time off from work for maternity leave, it is not always the case.
In most states, only the companies that fall under Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) guidelines are required to provide leaves related explicitly to becoming a parent or any other kind of illness. You must be aware that both parents are eligible for certain days of leave at the time of pregnancy and post-delivery of the baby. This type of leave is provided during childbirth, adoption, and foster situations.
Unemployment Benefits during Maternity Leave
The drawback when it comes to availing of leaves during pregnancy is that they are unpaid. Companies in the United States rarely offer compensated maternity leave. This period can be significantly longer, ranging from 12 weeks to a year or even more, if you decide on devoting more time to the child's upbringing.
It can be quite a challenge to live regularly during this time, especially if you were dependent on your job to meet financial obligations, wholly or partly. You may look to various state-sponsored schemes such as the Unemployment Insurance (UI) program that offers weekly monetary compensation for the unemployed through no fault of their own and are able to and available for work. And while you are pregnant and on maternity leave, can you be considered unemployed? It's tricky because this may just be considered an interim period. Remember, you're still on the payrolls of your employer.
Your physician may advise you to take time off from your work and rest completely during your pregnancy. In such cases, you will not qualify to receive unemployment compensation since you are unable to and unavailable for work—which is an important eligibility requirement to qualify for UI benefits.
You need not be devastated if you don't qualify for unemployment benefits during maternity leave, as you may qualify for disability benefits (only if the program is available in your state).
Can You Qualify For Short Term Disability Insurance While Pregnant?
Many companies, as an option or under legal obligation, may offer you disability benefits. Short-Term Disability (STD) insurance plans provide income protection for the period you could not work due to childbirth. If you are enrolled in your company's STD insurance plan, you can apply for benefits when you are off from work due to pregnancy. While these policies don't provide 100% income coverage, the funds they do provide can be helpful. Also, note that the program does not start until you have been unable to work for a few weeks.
You can also learn more about additional benefits available in your state that are specific to your situation. Speak to your supervisor or the HR representative well in advance to make the best use of available schemes and welfare offered by both the federal or state government and employer before starting maternity leave.
Related Tags : Maternity Benefits, Pregnancy Benefits, Unemployment Benefits
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Can You Draw Unemployment if Your on Maternity Leave
Source: https://fileunemployment.org/eligibility/unemployment-benefits-during-maternity-leave