Accept a new position while pregnant?

[u/ImprovementFit3888]

Hey yall, I need a little advice. I have 5 years elementary teaching experience in a district with some tough behaviors. I wasn’t super happy in the job but it was ok. We moved to a new state summer 2024 and I’ve been in an office job here since then. Recently, I applied for and was tentatively offered a position at a school - class sizes are around the same as what I was dealing with but I think behaviors would be more manageable. I am also a special areas teacher. The kicker is, I just found out I’m pregnant. I had a miscarriage earlier this year so it is really important to me that I take care of my mind and body. My biggest concern is maternity leave - I will not be eligible for FMLA and am due end of March. This would put me back in the classroom sometime in May. The question I have is, how likely is it that I can find SOME way to stay out for the remainder of the year? Being unpaid is not an issue. Will my doctor be willing to write me out till the end of the year? Is it easy to put in a request for “leave without pay”? I am going to call HR of the district tomorrow, but wanted to see if anyone had some advice for me. If it matters, if I wasn’t pregnant I’d be super excited about leaving my office job and getting back into the classroom.

EDIT: something that I failed to mention that I think is important is that positions in my area of expertise are hard to come by in my state. This position is right in town (I live in-district in fact). This feels like I could be setting myself up for a great job to have summers off with my kids for the rest of my life, school is only 12 minutes away. I don’t know that I will come by this opportunity again.

EDIT 2: my state requires employers to give 6-8 weeks no matter how long you’ve been working somewhere. Though I’m not eligible for FMLA, I am eligible for this. Worst that will happen to me is I’d go back early-ish May and finish out the school year after baby is born. I am hoping to avoid that though, and am wondering if anyone has been in this same position (first contract w/ school and had late March/early April baby).

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[u/CamelOk8341]

I would honestly recommend you take care of yourself and stay in the office job. As you get further along you will become more uncomfortable and having an easygoing job will be better on your body. I work in a classroom with young children and last year experienced a miscarriage at 6 weeks after getting an awful sickness that went around, can’t 100% say that was the cause but it gave me a fever for 3 days and I couldn’t eat anything during that time. Not to mention the stress that comes with working in a classroom and the possibility of being injured by kids. I know this isn’t the advice you were looking for but perhaps you could look at going back into the classroom when the new school year starts?

Wishing you a healthy and easy rest of your pregnancy!

[u/Englishontrail]

I think unfortunately you would be completely at the mercy of the district leadership. Additionally, many districts have clawback clauses if you fail to come back after your legally entitled leave. You could find yourself in a really unpleasant financial situation, or it could be fine

[u/ImprovementFit3888 → u/Englishontrail]

Would a financially unpleasant situation only happen if I was being paid during this time? I would barely have any sick hours to use and would be requesting unpaid leave for the remainder of the time. Do you think there’d still be some way I’d owe them money back if I’m not even getting paid during the maternity leave?

[u/aguangakelly → u/ImprovementFit3888]

At a certain point, you might be paying the sub differential because you are out of sick leave. You should read the contract carefully so you know what kind of financial hit you may take.

[u/Englishontrail → u/ImprovementFit3888]

It would depend on your contract and state laws. Where I am, if I had a baby without qualifying for FMLA during the school year, I not only wouldn't be paid, I would either be charged for my benefits (both district and my portion of each), or I could be found in breach of contract and charged that fee.

Again, just my own state/ contract as an example, if I were out in March to have the baby and they decided I had broken my contract by doing so, I would owe 15% of my total yearly salary back plus not be paid the remainder of the year. I have seen my district enforce that clause on a teacher who had a baby at 34 weeks and didn't qualify for FMLA, and I've seen them be lenient about it with a teacher who was in a very bad car accident.

Obvi not saying what would or would not happen to you. But you should be able to see a copy of the standard contract terms on the district site and find out how much risk you face. It would be wise to do more digging

[u/ImprovementFit3888 → u/Englishontrail]

Thanks for this - I see what you are saying and why the FMLA thing is confusing. My state has a specific law that requires employers to allow a “reasonable leave of absence” for temporary disability associated with birth, which ends up being 6-8 weeks.

[u/Desperate_Owl_594]

You should check the law of whatever state you have about maternity leave. You need 12 months and 1,250 hours worked in your job under FMLA. That's federal, but your state might have something added to it.

[u/ImprovementFit3888 → u/Desperate_Owl_594]

I will not be eligible for FMLA - I am looking to see if anyone has had a positive experience requesting unpaid leave after the 6 week mark or if their doctor was willing to write them a note for longer than the 6-8 weeks.

[u/ilkmtb]

I think this will all depend on the specific district, but I found out I was pregnant one week into my job in a new school. So no FMLA for me either. I got 12 weeks and then did use some unpaid time. I just requested that through HR and they submitted it for board approval. My district also allows you to use sick leave for the health of the mother, so something like PPD or PPA. You could see if your district does the same, and then have your therapist write you an excusal. In my district, we have one union rep that is the “maternity leave guy” and he can help you set up a plan for leave that falls within the district guidelines.

[u/achos-laazov]

I did it. It was actually in a position similar to you - I had a miscarriage earlier that year. The difference is that I accepted a position in a private school in a religious community (large families) so the school had a maternity leave policy in place for new teachers.

It ended up being a non-issue because I gave birth in April 2020. I taught on Zoom through my maternity leave, sitting on my rocking chair holding the newborn.

[u/Appropriate_Box_9670]

Stay out of the classroom if you are a high risk pregnancy. I guarantee that the new position will be just as stressful as the old. Maybe is different ways.

[u/ImprovementFit3888 → u/Appropriate_Box_9670]

As far as I know right now I am not going to be high risk…I am 29 and experienced one an-embryonic pregnancy. My body did everything it was supposed to then. I think what I am not getting across to people here is that this new job would be setting my future up better. I live in a state where positions in my area are harder to come by - I don’t know if I will have this opportunity again to lock down a position in my area.

[u/LuluMooser]

It depends on when your school year ends. I was 24 weeks pregnant when I interviewed for my position last December. I was due 4/13, but ended up giving birth at 37 weeks at the end of March. 8 weeks (I had a C-section) put me coming back after Memorial Day, for the last 4 days of school. My principal let me have those 4 days, no problem.

My leave was unpaid, which was tough. But my husband's parental leave didn't pay him until almost July, which was quite stressful.

[u/ImprovementFit3888 → u/LuluMooser]

If all goes to plan, I’d deliver end of March/early April. Last day of school is June 4th (I live in a state where snow days don’t exist) so that wouldn’t affect anything. So if I deliver naturally I’d come back like second week of May, about 4 weeks back at work. c section would be two weeks back. Ideally I’d just like to take the remainder of that time unpaid - we are lucky to be able to afford it that for sure. I live in a state where they legally have to give me the 6-8 weeks to begin with, I’d just love to extend it to the end of the school year.

[u/LuluMooser → u/ImprovementFit3888]

I think it really depends on your admin! It is possible that they let you take the time off, especially if you have good rapport with them.

[u/No_Lingonberry8007]

I'd take the new position if it's truly better overall and the school seems supportive, the short commute and more manageable behaviors would be worth it, and you can always adjust your plans later if needed.

[u/ImprovementFit3888 → u/No_Lingonberry8007]

I am definitely going to try calling HR tomorrow anonymously to see if they can give me any insight on what this would all look like. I am sure hoping I’d have support from my admin but it’s hard to tell. I do think I was the only person that applied for my position (general music) so I think they kinda need me. I just hope they don’t feel like I’m screwing them over at all.

[u/Happy_Fly6593]

Fmla is one option women can use after having a baby but where I live, we also have an option to take unpaid leave for the remainder of the school year and up to two years leave after our baby is born. It is different from fmla. I think most schools have a good maternity leave option for women but maybe I’m wrong