My wife and I reside in Florida. She is a bartender in a upscale restaurant. She was recently went into preterm labor and was ordered on hospital bedrest, which lasted two weeks ~ then days later delivered our son 4 weeks early. Is there any help that we can apply for from the state or federal gov. while she is recovering. I am a little confused by the laws in florida (I hear one thing and read another). Is there any Social Security, unempoyment, maternity leave help for new parents while mom is not working.

Thanks for any and all help
James Eitzen

Only a handful of states have state disability programs that cover pregnancy-related conditions. Florida is not one of them. Social Security is for permanent health problems, and in order to collect unemployment you need to be actively looking for work and ready to take a job when it's offered. There may be state programs, such as food stamps or WIC, that would at least help during this time, but I don't think that there are any income-replacement programs available to you.