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What are the Best Tips for Filling out a Maternity Leave Application?
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison
Some of the best tips for completing a maternity leave application are those that involve learning your employer's maternity leave policies. Your employer may have a form for you to complete or require you to write a maternity leave letter instead. Other good tips for filing a maternity leave application are those that recommend providing the date on which you wish to start your leave as well as your due date. Employers will likely want a specific date on which you plan to return to work as well. Additionally, you may have to add details about your condition if you are disabled because of pregnancy or childbirth and need extended leave or have to start your leave time early.
Before you apply for maternity leave, you may do well to contact your company’s human resource department or speak with a supervisor to learn how and where you can obtain a leave application form. Some employers may have you write a maternity leave letter instead of completing an application form, however. Others may call the documentation you have to complete a claim form rather than an application.
It is usually important to include dates when you are applying for maternity leave. For example, you will typically have to include your due date when you are applying for maternity leave as well as the date on which you want to begin your leave. You may do well to check your employer’s policies before you apply, however, to learn how early you are eligible to begin your leave.
When you are completing a maternity leave application, it is usually important to specify how long you plan to spend on leave as well. For example, if you are planning to take leave time from January 1st to March 1st, you should typically specify these dates on your maternity leave application. If you only write the number of weeks or months that you want to spend on leave, this may not be specific enough for some employers.
You may also add any additional requests for leave time to your maternity leave application. For example, if you have non-maternity leave time available, you may wish to add it to your maternity leave to extend your total leave. You may, for example, be eligible for 12 weeks of maternity leave time but use non-maternity leave time to extend your total leave to 14 weeks. Whether or not you will be permitted to combine different types of leave may depend on your employer’s unique policies, however.
In the event that you are disabled as the result of pregnancy or childbirth, you may have to provide additional information on your leave application. For example, if your doctor has ordered bed rest, you may have to provide details about the reasons he has ordered it. This is usually the case if you are starting your maternity leave earlier than is usually allowed by your employer.
Nicole Madison
Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a WiseGEEK writer, and she focuses primarily on topics such as homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. When not writing or spending time with her four children, Nicole enjoys reading, camping, and going to the beach.
Learn more...
Nicole Madison
Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a WiseGEEK writer, and she focuses primarily on topics such as homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. When not writing or spending time with her four children, Nicole enjoys reading, camping, and going to the beach.
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![Any bed rest prescription should be included on a maternity leave application.]()
By: MilissentaAny bed rest prescription should be included on a maternity leave application.
Discussion Comments
Companies should make a point to have flexible maternity leave for their employees.
However, the expectant mom has a responsibility, too. I was at a company part time, sharing a job with a woman who got pregnant. She said she was quitting the job when the baby was born, and planned to go to nursing school afterward. That meant I would be moving into the position full time.
She went back and forth, waffling over whether she was actually going to quit or not, until finally, our boss just told her she had to make a decision. She decided she would quit, and she did go on to nursing school. But a mom needs to make her plans clear so her company can also make some plans.
Just as a matter of course, I'd include a letter from my doctor, stating his or her recommended maternity leave time, and how much extra time is recommended in case of complications. That just makes the expectant mom's life easier at her job.
Although, women have babies every day, and they don't always arrive on time, so employers should be willing to be flexible with the dates and work with the employee. They may have to hire a temporary employee, but that's a small price to pay to retain a good, productive employee who wants to continue working with the company.
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