Maternity Leave And Work Issues
If you are planning to become pregnant, you need information about the policies in your workplace. For instance, it is your employer's responsibility to inform you of any workplace reproductive hazards. Potential hazards include lead, ethylene oxide, ionizing radiation, and dibromochloropropane. Your policy manual should state your employer's policies regarding maternity leave and vacation time.
Your health care provider or midwife can inform you if you have special considerations for your pregnancy that will require extra visits, extra rest, or any work restrictions. Many women fear workplace discrimination regarding pregnancy, such as taking time for childcare and breastfeeding, but it is illegal for most employers to discriminate on these bases. If you develop problems during your pregnancy, your employer is required to treat your pregnancy like any other medical disability. This is part of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act.
The Family Medical Leave Act requires any company with more than 50 employees to provide 12 weeks of unpaid leave for illness or pregnancy and birth. Make sure you get the appropriate paperwork from your employer, and bring it to your health care provider.
Review Date: January 7, 2005
Reviewed By: Alison M. Stuebe, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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