Surrogate mothers generously offer so much to help a family achieve their dreams of having a new baby. Physical changes in their bodies, life changes, their time and much more. Many surrogate women work full-time or part-time jobs while they provide surrogacy services. Any woman who carries and births a child should be given postpartum recovery time and most workplaces offer maternity leave benefits that surrogate mothers would qualify for.
You can prepare for your amazing surrogacy experience by looking into a few things before the process begins to find out what maternity benefits you qualify for as a surrogate.
Do Surrogate Mothers Qualify For Maternity Leave And Maternity Pay?
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) lays out the guidelines for qualified employees and unpaid, job-protected leave after giving birth. Healing after birth is no less challenging for surrogates than it is for any other woman. Emotionally and physically, your body needs time to recover. But, there are some specific requirements that employees need to meet to qualify.
To ensure that maternity leave is a benefit provided by your employer, and if you qualify, you will need to check with your employer to find it if you are an eligible employee and if your employer offers paid or unpaid maternity leave.
Eligible employees will meet these requirements:
12+ months of employment with your current employer
12 months prior to the scheduled leave, employees must work at least 1,250 hours (approx 24 hours a week).
Your employer's location has 50+ employees within 75 miles of the workplace.
Is your employer a covered employer? It's not too hard to tell. Employers are covered if they:
are a government agency or public school.
employ at least 50 employees for 20 workweeks or more in the current or previous calendar year.
I'm An Eligible Employee - So What Benefits Am I Entitled To As A Surrogate?
If you are an eligible employee working for a covered employer, congratulations! You would be qualified to take 12 weeks of unpaid leave during a 12-month period for your pregnancy. Your employer must off you the same health benefits during your leave and protect your job during that time so that it is available for you when you return.
Will My Employer Provide Paid Leave Benefits?
Each employer is different and determines if they offer paid maternity leave or not. Over the years, the number of employers that offer paid maternity leave has increased to nearly 55%, but many employers still do not.
Genesis Rising Surrogacy Center In New York And Nevada
Genesis Rising Surrogacy Center offers surrogacy services in New York and Nevada. If you are curious about surrogacy and if you qualify or if it's a path you would like to explore for you, we can assure you that it is a most rewarding experience and we would love to speak with you. Call us today!