Hello!!

I'm a Human Resources Manager for a small company in Chicago, IL. One of our employees is currently pregnant and is due to have her baby either at the very end of this year or beginning of next year. Being a small company, this is the first pregnant employee we have worked with and want to clarify both ours and the employee's rights.

The employee has used up all of her paid time off for 2008 and normally would start over in 2009 with 5 vacation days, 3 sick days and 2 personal days.

Question #1: If she has this baby in December and is off work through January or February, do we legally have to allow her to use her paid time off to help compensate her for her leave once she becomes eligible for it on 1/1/09?

Question #2: Does her leave affect her accumulation of paid time off at all or should she accumulate the time as if she were working?

Any other helpful hints would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

Kelly :D

The answers to both questions are entirely up to company policy.

With only three sick days, however, I would be concerned about docking her pay for full day absences for illness or when she is medically unable to work IF she is exempt.