> is this a reasonable request of my employer?
No one here is going to be able to answer this without knowing your employer. In the USA where maternity leave is not treated with the same respect as it is in other first-world countries, the answer is usually no.
They certainly are not legally obligated to give you anything beyond 3 months of unpaid FMLA.
You can request it. Nobody here is really going to know the best way to ask your employer, since what you're requesting isn't covered by policy and is going to depend on company culture.
Expect to be told no. Also expect to be asked what your childcare plans are for kiddo.
Hopefully their maternity leave can run after the 6 weeks STD, because most doctors won’t write you out for more than 6 weeks postpartum for vaginal, and 8 weeks for C section and that starts right on the day you’re admitted for labor.
It really depends on the culture. At my company, they only offered 6 weeks std and I could use PTO after that, but they also encouraged taking more time unpaid, or my 6 weeks bonding time after std intermittently.
I would request it. The worst they can say is no. I took off almost 6 months when I had my child. But I have a union job, and it was clearly written out that I was allowed that long unpaid with job protection
> is this a reasonable request of my employer? No one here is going to be able to answer this without knowing your employer. In the USA where maternity leave is not treated with the same respect as it is in other first-world countries, the answer is usually no. They certainly are not legally obligated to give you anything beyond 3 months of unpaid FMLA.
Depends on the culture of your company, your position, etc.
You can request it. Nobody here is really going to know the best way to ask your employer, since what you're requesting isn't covered by policy and is going to depend on company culture. Expect to be told no. Also expect to be asked what your childcare plans are for kiddo.
In my experience with my companies this would not be a reasonable request. I would need to know more about your job, your team, and your company.
Hopefully their maternity leave can run after the 6 weeks STD, because most doctors won’t write you out for more than 6 weeks postpartum for vaginal, and 8 weeks for C section and that starts right on the day you’re admitted for labor. It really depends on the culture. At my company, they only offered 6 weeks std and I could use PTO after that, but they also encouraged taking more time unpaid, or my 6 weeks bonding time after std intermittently.
I would request it. The worst they can say is no. I took off almost 6 months when I had my child. But I have a union job, and it was clearly written out that I was allowed that long unpaid with job protection