HI, I will be going on leave at 28 weeks, as I am pregnant with twins.

Question : HR says that I can use sick leave then have STD kick in so I can bank my sick time. Or I can also use all my sick leave and then have STD kick in after that is used up. BUt my STD insurance company says that STD only kicks in after I deliver my baby...(By the way, I will file for FMLa starting at 28 weeks)

:( So what should I believe in? Can my company refuse to have me use all my sick time if STD kicks in earlier? Is it normal policy for STD to only kick in after delivery?

The answers to your questions lie in your company's personnel policies and your company's STD policy, so we can't answer them here in the abstract.

Make sure you have your facts straight, though -- actually read the STD policy rather than relying on someone else's interpretation. The policy may well say that STD kicks in after delivery for most women, or for normal pregnancies, but I'd be surprised if it denied benefits for pregnancy-related medical conditions that require bedrest prior to delivery. I know a number of women, myself included, who received pay through an STD policy while on bedrest before delivering.

As an aside, depending on your company's policies, it may be best to save a little of your sick time in case you need it in the future -- particularly if your company allows you to use sick time to care for your baby.

I'm currently employed for a local Communtiy College, and am told by my supervisor that they do not pay into the State Disiblity. When I'm to go on my maternity leave that I will have to use my vacation time and or sick time. Is this true? What can I do? Somebody lead me into the right direction... :confused:

This WAS true if you are employed through the state of CA. And it may or may not be true based on your dates ...

Employees of the federal government and some state government workers were not eligible to participate in State Disability Insurance (SDI) in CA.

BUT - the CA State Controller's Office (SCO) was to begin withholding SDI deductions on payments beginning October 1, 2005. It was to allow disabilities -- including pregnancy -- to qualify beginning on April 1, 2006. Contact http://www.edd.ca.gov/

What is interesting is that if you are not a state employee, there is no other way you could not have some kind of coverage in California. Employers have two options. Contribute to the CA SDI and employees are eligible or provide a private plan that is at least as comprehesive as the CA SDI. State employees had something called NDI before this but I never dealt with that too much (it is more policy based on years of service).

Oh, more good news, if you are eligible for CA SDI you are also eligible for CA PFL. That is the additional bonding time paid when you have a baby. More on that here: http://www.edd.ca.gov/direp/pflfaq1.asp

Hope it works out for you.

I am currently 30 weeks pregnant. I have been taken out of work due to my pregnancy being High Risk. I was taken out of work at the beinging of my pregnancy and will be out 8 weeks post delivery. I am a state employee and have been for 3 years. Since the change from NDI to SDI, I only had enough benifits to last for 5 months. I have exhusted my leave credits as well as my SDI. The information I am getting from SDI and my personnel department is.. I have no other resources. I am recently single and have no other means of income. What happened to all the money I paid to the state for disability for all the years I worked prior to being employed by the state??? Does anyone have any suggestions?