June 20, 2019

Congratulations! You found out you are pregnant! After basking in joy you wonder, how do I break the news at work? When should I announce my pregnancy? How do I prepare for maternity leave? How much contact do I want to have with my office during my leave? When should I return to work? Should I develop a maternity plan? As you can imagine, there are many things to consider before you answer these questions. And it is never too early to think about your preferences, what your employer needs, and how to reconcile both without adding unnecessary stress and anxiety. Below are important tips to help you through this process.   

What to consider prior to announcing your pregnancy.

Know your rights.

Research applicable laws.  Before you share the happy news at the office, take some time to research your rights under federal and state laws. When you become familiar with applicable statutes, such as the Family Medical Leave Act, you will gain clarity with regards to your next steps.

Review your employer’s policies on maternity leave. You can usually find these in your company’s employee manual or handbook. These policies can provide information that will help you plan for your leave. For example, the maternity policy will tell you how many weeks of maternity leave your employer offers. It will also state whether the company will pay for some or all of the weeks that you take off.  You will also learn whether your employer will pay for some of these weeks at less than 100% of your salary. Reviewing your employer’s policy should, therefore, be the starting point in preparing for maternity leave and developing your maternity plan.

Start curating your maternity plan. 

A maternity plan is a document laying out various terms related to your maternity leave. It is not a requirement to provide your employer a maternity plan before going on leave, but it can help ensure a smooth transition of the projects you are working on. Preparing a maternity plan also speaks volumes about your organization, dedication, focus and professionalism. Your boss will be grateful that you took the time to inform them on the status of your assignments, and how you recommend that the assignments be handled during your absence. Click here for a simple guide to creating a Maternity Leave Plan.  When you prepare for maternity leave and work on your maternity plan you should:

1. Review your calendar. Evaluate your current workload and the due dates to complete the tasks associated with your projects. Will you be able to complete these projects or tasks before your due date? Many women work well into the final days of pregnancy. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee you will be able to work until the very end of your term. You must prepare for the unexpected. Include in your plan a realistic list of projects and tasks that you expect to accomplish as your pregnancy progresses. Give yourself more leeway the closer you get to your due date. Identify the projects or tasks that you will not be able to complete before starting your leave.
2. Determine if your pregnancy will affect your ability to perform some of your work duties.  Does your work require you to travel? Will you be able to attend upcoming meetings, cases, presentations, or other events that are scheduled to take place in other cities? If not, consider whether these events can be rescheduled to an earlier date, or whether they can be postponed until you return from your leave. If all or some events cannot be rescheduled, you should add them to the list of tasks that you will not be able to complete before going on leave.
3. Propose a backup. Give some thought to which of your colleagues can take over the tasks that you cannot complete before going on leave and/or who can cover your assignments while you are out. Are any of your colleagues already working on your projects, and are familiar with your assignments? Do any of these tasks or projects require a particular expertise? Is the person who you want to cover for you available? Are you working for an external client? If so, do they have any requirements,  preferences or limitations regarding who works on their matters?  Have any of your colleagues worked with this client in the past? Does this client need to be informed that you will be out? All of these details need to be addressed in the plan.
4. Determine how to manage your own projects or clients. If you are the owner of the project, or the matter is related to one of your clients, determine who can assist you while you are on leave. Consider how and when to integrate this person into the project. Determine whether you want to be copied on all communications related to that project or client during your leave. Determine if you want to have periodic calls with your client or the project team while you are out.
5. Provide the status of your assignments. Your maternity plan should include the status of your assignments, as well as the status of the tasks that need to be accomplished for each project. It should also list the names and contact information of other people involved. Don’t forget to include deadlines and any other information that may be needed to ensure a smooth transition.
6. Inform your boss or team how long you expect to be out.  Include in your maternity plan the dates during which you are expected to begin and end your maternity leave.
7. Describe your expectations on communications with the office during your absence. Will you be available for your office to contact you at any time, or do  you prefer that they reach out on certain days/times? Do you prefer to be contacted by email or phone? Do you want to be informed if there is an important development in any of your matters, regardless of the time? Are you going to be available to do some work from home? You should address these issues in your maternity plan.
8. Don’t forget about technology! Tell your employer whether you will need any equipment or technology in order to work from home during your leave.

Finally, before announcing your pregnancy, think about your plans post-maternity leave. Do you want to return to work under the same terms as before? Are you thinking of reducing your work hours? Would you prefer to work from home some days or part of the day? If so, consider how receptive your employer will be to these arrangements, and whether you should disclose this in the maternity plan. Check whether your employer has an alternative work arrangement policy that you could refer to when you present this to your employer. Be prepared to discuss how the alternate arrangement you are proposing can be implemented without affecting your performance or the outcomes that your boss expects. Click here for more information on alternative work arrangements: https://legallybalanced.com/how-to-request-an-alternative-work-arrangement/ and here for information on working from home: https://legallybalanced.com/make-telecommuting-work/.

Announcing your Pregnancy.

When to announce your pregnancy?

That is an incredibly personal decision. There is no “right” time to make your announcement. You should give notice when you feel ready, and that will be determined by your particular circumstances. For example, if you suffer from severe morning sickness, or have a high-risk or difficult pregnancy, you may want to notify your employer earlier. These conditions may cause multiple absences and usually require attending additional medical appointments. You will want your boss to understand why you will need to be out of the workplace more often.

If, on the other hand, your pregnancy is going smoothly, you may want to wait a bit before sharing the news. If you are waiting to notify your employer, be careful with sharing your pregnancy through social media or speaking openly about your pregnancy in places or groups where your co-workers have access. Your boss could learn of your pregnancy through these sources. They will not be happy, and may not be as willing to grant you any special requests in your maternity plan, if they feel you were hiding information from them. It is recommendable to exercise discretion until you are ready to tell your employer.

How to announce your pregnancy?

Tell your boss first. Notify your boss of your pregnancy before telling other colleagues. Also, let them know that you have prepared a maternity plan that ensures your work will be properly handled during your leave. Ask your boss for a meeting to discuss the plan and leave them a copy in advance so they can prepare for the meeting. You should be prepared for your boss to negotiate the terms of your maternity plan. After you meet with your boss, update the plan so that it reflects the agreements you reached after negotiating. Create a shorter version of your maternity plan that can be distributed to the individuals who are covering for you or others who need to know how your matters will be handled during your leave. You should reserve the comprehensive, detailed version of your maternity plan for your boss and your company’s Human Resources Department.

Talk to HR.  Contact your employer’s Human Resources Department to notify that you will be on leave, and to ask whether there are any documents you need to complete before your leave begins. Take the opportunity to ask them any questions you have on your employer’s maternity leave policy.

Talk to your co-workers. If you have a good relationship with a co-worker who has taken maternity leave, consider asking them about the process. Their insight can be extremely useful and can help you understand what to expect.

Make yourself accessible prior to your leave. Be available to answer questions that your boss, the persons covering for you, clients, or others may have. Provide notes, documents, files, or anything else that your colleagues request. Set the stage for an exit that gives you peace of mind and reassures your employer that things will move along smoothly during your absence.

After Leaving for Maternity Leave

Keep in touch. Occasionally touch base with your boss and co-workers while you are on leave.  Send an email to the persons covering for you to see if they need anything from you. If possible, meet up with co-workers for coffee or lunch to see how things are going.

Prepare for your return. Connect with your boss and relevant co-workers a couple of weeks prior to returning to work. Ask your co-workers to copy you on emails and keep you in the loop of any developments in your matters. This way you can get up to speed and transition back quickly when your leave is over. Ask whether there are any documents, reports, or other materials you should review prior to your return.  This will help you get acquainted with the status of your projects.

We hope this guide helps you prepare for maternity leave. Remember, good preparation will give you the peace of mind that will allow you to enjoy this wonderful stage to the max!