NJ Teachers, Question about Maternity Leave, Please!

kloveny

Hi Everyone,

 I am very confused as to how NJ maternity leave works. I am an 80% FTE in a public school. I know that I can take FMLA for 12 weeks unpaid.  My first question is does this start *after* I exhaust my sick leave? Do I have to use all my days for FMLA to kick in?

Also, how do I find out if i qualify for NJFLA? We haven't had a pregnant teacher in my building in at least 13 years (small school) and I am not sure that my business admin totally knows the answer.

Any help would be greatly appreciated - thank you!  

StephNJohn2008

Here's how it worked for me.

I got 4 weeks before he was born and 6-8 weeks after that I could use my sick days for. Once that was up I could then get 12 weeks of NJFLA- the first 6 ARE paid. If you still have sick days you use those for 2 weeks then get paid from the state for 4. If you're out of sick days (like I was) you get all 6 from the state. The next 6 are unpaid.

I believe your district needs to have 50 employees for you to qualify for NJFLA. 

JennyJuly05

In my district I am allowed to use sick days 4 weeks before due date and 4 weeks after due date, then 12 weeks unpaid, FMLA.  For the first six weeks of FMLA I will get paid through NJFLA.  I'm not sure if this is 100% correct, but I believe if the money is deducted from your paycheck for NJFLA, then you are entitled to the money.  I also have private disability insurance so I will also be collecting disability for another six weeks.

metucker

The sick days varies by district. According to my contract I can use 20 days before the birth and 20 days after. I will be using the 20 days after and then starting NJFL in order to get paid (not full pay) for 6 weeks. By then it will be summer. I am fairly certain you don't have to take FMLA at the same time.

metucker

I posted something similar a while back. Here is the post: 

http://community.thenest.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/61904034.aspx 

kloveny

Thanks so much for the info. I have a feeling I won't get NJFLA because my district is so small. So I am guessing I will just have 12 weeks FMLA after my sick is exhausted.

Mishie

I used my sick days during the 12 weeks. I went out 3 weeks early using FMLA. Then when the baby was born I used NJ Child Care for 12 weeks unpaid (unless I had sick days) from her birth. Once I exhausted my sick days, I applied for NJFLI and I am currently receiving 6 weeks of pay from that during this 12 weeks. 

kloveny

Thanks. I am just reading up on NJFLI and I see that it is taken out of my check. Can you take NJFLI *after* FMLA so you would get a total of 18 weeks?? 

Reilly626

Personally I cant use it at all because I have so many sick days. My district lets you use all of them, but you cannot collect both. It depends on your district. Im working with our union rep now.