How long did your doctor write you out for from work?

Hi everyone! I'm new here and have a question. How many weeks did/will your OB write you out for from work? Just curious because I gave them my FMLA papers and they said that they would put 6-8 weeks and then see how things go. The twins are my first so I'm scared that 6-8 weeks isn't enough.

 

I may not be understanding your question correctly... but my doctor didn't need to provide a note for me to be out of work after my twins were born. FMLA guarantees 12 (or 13, I forget) weeks of saving your job. You don't necessarily get paid -- that's up to your office -- but FMLA means that they can't fire you or give away your job for those 12 weeks.

 

I guess my question is more related to paid short term disability. I get up to 12 weeks of paid std depending on what the doctor recommends. So I'm wondering is 6-8 weeks of recovery standard? I plan to take the full 12 weeks off regardless and take the remaining weeks (after the 6-8 weeks) unpaid.

 

I had a c-section and the doctor wrote me out for 8 weeks (he actually wrote me out for 6 weeks initially and then said I was having pain at my incision at my 6 week check up and wrote me out for another 2 weeks). He said anything longer than that would raise questions from your insurance company. I did stay off work for 12 weeks, but the last four were unpaid.

 

My STD only paid for 6wks for vaginal delivery and 8wks for c-section. I was off for a total of 18wks, 6wks bedrest 12wks with babies, and I just took my last 6wks as unpaid. When they wrote me off for bedrest though my STD did pay for that.

 

For maternity leave, there's normally a 6 or 8 week maximum limit. The doctor would have to have a very valid health issue reason to write you out for longer than that. You can take FMLA of up to 12 weeks, but if the doctor writes you out for 6, then only 6 would be paid.

 

my doc initially wrote 8 weeks for C/S, then just made up some stuff (incision infection- which was true but didn't cause me to be unable to work) to get me another 4 weeks of paid leave.

 

I was surprised when my doctor only wrote 8 weeks too. I don't have STD, but I do have enough vacation and sick leave to cover my whole FMLA time. I just told him to write 12 weeks and he did.

 

My doc wrote me out for 12 weeks without question and I was paid through my STD for the whole thing. I also collected on my STD for the 4 weeks I was out before they were born and it covered the 4 weeks I worked at half time to give me a full salary. My insurance and employer never batted an eye about it and I got paid for the whole thing.

 

FMLA and STD are two different programs. If your employer offers STD, then the standard is that STD will cover any time you are medical disabled for work, within the guidlines of their STD program. I would talk to your HR person and ask what their STD program is and how it works. I'm fortunate as my company pays 100% for up to 6 months of STD. I've been on bed rest for about 6 weeks now, so have had that covered. I will also be covered for 8 weeks for a c-secion and 6 weeks for a vag birth. I'm having a c secion tho b/c of the babies positions.

FMLA also starts when ever you go off work and runs concurrent with STD. You get a total of 12 weeks for any one or combination of disability or bith of a child/ren within a 12 month period. Employers can count their 12 month period as either a rolling period from the first day of leave you take or a calendar jan - dec period. Ask them what they designate as their 12 month period. You get 12 weeks of leave during any 12 month period. If you go out on bed rest before that, then your 12 weeks would start then.

Many employers are willing to work with you to make additional personal leave allowances if you have had a difficult pregnancy and would like to take a full 3 months with you babies. I would just talk to your manager or HR to find out how flexible they can be. Also, don't forget that you can take FMLA in partial days, every other day or 1/2 days. So, if at 6 weeks you wanted to start back at work, you could do 1/2 time and stretch out your FMLA another 12 weeks at 1/2 time. You could also use any vacation time you might have available to you.

Good luck!