| How long can you afford to take a 40% pay cut or | | | | covered by the Rhode Island Temporary Disability |
| more? If you are planning a pregnancy and work in | | | | Insurance. But a more common malady, postpartum |
| Rhode Island this is a very important question to | | | | depression, is not because it is not biologically based. |
| address before getting pregnant. Why? Because | | | | Also, 12% of babies are born premature and may |
| many pregnancies encounter complications before and | | | | spend significant time in the neonatal intensive care unit. |
| or after delivery, meaning you may miss more than the | | | | After being discharged from the hospital these babies |
| standard six to eight weeks for a normal maternity | | | | often require extended care at home from mom; |
| leave. Rhode Island is one of only five states with a | | | | meaning even more time away from the job. But in |
| mandated state disability insurance program that | | | | this case, because baby is sick and not mom, the |
| covers your pregnancy and maternity leave. But it | | | | Rhode Island disability program will not pay any |
| leaves many with a false sense of security. Increase | | | | benefits. Unlike other states with mandated disability, |
| your Rhode Island maternity leave pay by purchasing | | | | Rhode Island does not yet have paid family leave |
| supplemental short term disability insurance before | | | | benefits. |
| getting pregnant. | | | | Make Pregnancy and Maternity More Affordable |
| Rhode Island Maternity Leave | | | | When you consider all the circumstances noted above, |
| Rhode Island is one of only five states with mandated | | | | there are many holes in the Rhode Island program. Its |
| short term disability insurance for people who work in | | | | better than 45 other states with no coverage at all, but |
| the state. The state disability program replaces "4.62% | | | | by no means is the coverage comprehensive. |
| of the wages paid to you in the highest quarter of | | | | Consider purchasing supplemental short term disability |
| your base period." Put in order words, about 60% | | | | insurance before getting pregnant to fill some of the |
| income replacement. There is also a weekly cap of | | | | holes noted above. When purchased preconception, |
| $694 per week. A woman earning $60,146 per year | | | | supplemental short term disability insurance can help |
| or more will hit the cap, meaning the pay cut with be | | | | you increase maternity leave income. Your benefit for |
| higher than 40%. | | | | normal delivery may greatly exceed the premium you |
| How Much Work Will You Miss? | | | | pay. Plus, you are covered for pregnancy |
| The standard maternity leave is six weeks for a | | | | complications, delivery complications, accidents and |
| vaginal birth and eight weeks for a c-section delivery. | | | | illnesses. |
| While not ideal, a 60% income replacement is very | | | | Use the additional maternity leave income to offset |
| nice to have. But consider that 25% of pregnancies | | | | you many other new expenses associated with your |
| encounter complications, often requiring mom to miss | | | | healthy new baby. But most importantly, rest assured |
| work before her delivery. Also a significant percentage | | | | that the extra income will be needed in case you miss |
| of women encounter postpartum disorders that | | | | additional time from work for pregnancy complications, |
| translate into additional time away from work. Biological | | | | delivery complications, postpartum depression, or to |
| disorders such as post operative infections will be | | | | take care of a sick or prematurely born infant. |