I just started a job in January, I am currently 6 months pregnant. I am aware that I'm not eligible for FMLA, (they offer 176 hours of paid STD) with that being said, when I go on leave, I'm worried that I won't have a job to go back to, because technically since I don't qualify for FMLA, my job isn't protected.

What are the chances of them allowing me to keep my job? I've heard where companies try to force women to resign, and make promises that they will have something for them if they reapply, etc.

I'm really worried about this, and because of that I'm trying to have a back up plan just in case this happens.

We don't know your employer. We don't know how hard it would be for them to replace you. We don't know how well you've done in your job up to now. We don't know how long you are planning to be out. We don't know when your employer is busy and when they are not. We don't know how many employees there are who can easily subsitute you or what steps your employer will have to take to get your work done in your absence.

In other words, there is no possible way that we can guess what your employer will do. The LLT crystal ball is out for repairs. :)

What I can tell you is that despite what you read on these boards (employees who do not have problems do not post) it is not the norm for employees to be forced out for short term or self-contained medical issues such as pregnancy. It is expensive to recruit, hire, and bring up to speed new employees. Few employers will go to the expense of looking for someone new when, by simply waiting a few weeks, they can have an already-trained one.

I think that is why I'm worried. It seems I was doing well (performance wise) then last week I was told otherwise. They are working with me the best they can but I don't think they'll do that for long, as training is about to end shortly.

The job that I was hired for, is only hired for like once a year, they only hire about 8-10 people for the position. I was told the next round won't be until 2010.

I'm trying to be optimistic and would like to think that I will still be there in July.
I won't put the company name, but will say that the company has over 4,500 employees and is private company, a good company! This is the type of company where employees have been there 40 and 50 years.

Your employer needs to treat you as they would treat any other employee not qualifying for FMLA but needing time off for a non-pregnancy related disability (ie broken leg). They don't have to treat you any better but they can't discriminate against you JUST because of your pregnancy.

I'm in the same boat. I didn't qualify for FMLA when I took my Leave of Absence because I hadn't been there a year. Basically it's just a wait and see. When I go back in August I'll either have a job or I won't. If I don't then I'll collect unemployment until I find something else....just gotta roll with the punches.

I'm in the same boat. I didn't qualify for FMLA when I took my Leave of Absence because I hadn't been there a year. Basically it's just a wait and see. When I go back in August I'll either have a job or I won't. If I don't then I'll collect unemployment until I find something else....just gotta roll with the punches.

Okay... I have ignored it up to now.

Are you going to post your story about what your company did for you which has no bearing on anyone outside your company on the end of every single FMLA post?

It is becoming monotonous opening up old posts to read your story again.

wow...talk about touchy.....hope everything works out thillmom

What you are failing to understand is that the posters here do not want to here what their employer CAN do. They want to hear what they MUST do. Your story, charming as it is, does not answer that question, and it is clear that your "understanding" of the laws is based on what your employer does and not on what the statute says. So you're not really being particularly helpful.