Human Resource Blog

Pregnancy Leave with Disability

	Attendance Management
Vacation Request / Response Form Weekly Time Sheets Attendance Calendar for 2008, 2009, or 2010 Annual Attendance Tracker Vacation Request Form for 2008, 2009, 2010 (Calendar) Detailed Absence Report

	Benefits
Total Compensation Summary Performance Improvement Plan Performance Appraisal and Review Employee Payroll Status/Change Form Employee Change Form

	Compensation
Employee Payroll Action Form W-4 Employee Withholding Allowance Cert. Employee Payroll Status/Change Form Direct Deposit Form Total Compensation Summary

I work for the Post Office and I am a rural carrier associate with no benefits. My job allows 12 weeks of maternity leave but without pay. In the state of Florida can I apply for disability during my leave?

Florida does not have any state-wide short term disability program.

Since the job provides no benefits, it’s unlikely that you are covered by a short-term disability insurance program. If the employer provided short-term disability benefits, or paid maternity leave, you would likely know that by now.

Only 5 U.S. states provide short-term disability for all workers. Those states are California, Hawaii, Rhode Island, New Jersey and New York.

In other states, employees who are disabled for 5 months or more can collect disability payments from Social Security. However, that normally doesn’t apply in a situation involving pregnancy.

Federal law requires employers to give workers up to 12 weeks of FMLA leave for a serious health condition or to bond with a new child, that leave is unpaid. Normally state paternity laws require the father to support a child and pay medical expenses. In some cases they may require the father to support the mother during disability, as well.

In some states you may be eligible for AFDC, Aid for Dependent Children, before or after the baby is born.