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Home › Articles › Professionals and Policies › A Little Time Off to Have Baby

A Little Time Off to Have Baby

How to Break the Big News
to Your Boss

By Melinda Copp

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Having a baby is exciting, and spreading the news of a pregnancy is a fun way to make everyone in your life smile. However, you may be uncertain about how to broach the subject with your boss. In a perfect world, every boss would have kids of his or her own and would react to your news with a smile and hug. But that isn't always the case. After all, especially if this is your first pregnancy, your career was likely the main focus of your life. And you may never have talked about family issues with your boss before.

So how can you talk about family plans with your boss and still maintain your professionalism? Preparation and confident communications are really the only ways to handle this sometimes-sticky professional situation.

What Are Your Rights?
The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires most companies to grant eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave time during any 12-month period to take care of a new baby, a foster child or a sick family member or to take medical leave in case of serious illness or injury. Your employer is then required to give you the same or a similar job with the same salary, benefits and seniority when you return from leave. This goes for men and women.

If you aren't eligible or if your company isn't required to follow the FMLA, you should talk to someone in your company's human resources department or look in your employee handbook for more information about the company policies.

Is Your Company Family-friendly?
Your employee handbook will also give you some clue about how family-friendly your company is. Start by reading the family or medical leave policy. How long do they allow you to be gone? Do you need to find someone to take over your share of the work? Do they offer a paid maternity leave? Once you understand what's stated in your handbook, consider what's not on paper.

"Be observant of your workplace culture," says Pat Katepoo, founder of WorkOptions.com

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