Health benefits during maternity leave--do you pay?

[luckytwenty]

The HR lady is on vacation--hoping I can get a general sense of this until she gets back to answer my question!

I was told I continue to get my health, dental, etc. benefits while on my 12 week maternity leave. But, I only have 7 weeks of paid vacation/sick time that will be available to me then. I will have one week of STD at 70% of my salary and then 4 weeks unpaid. During those last 4-5 weeks, will I have to pitch in my share for the health benefits? My paycheck right now has a section showing what my salary is and a section showing what my "benefits allowance credit" is. It's a nice chunk of change I'd have to be forking over for around a month!!!

Thanks in advance--hoping it's covered.

[kms00]

I know once my PTO ran out, I had to pay the portion that would normally be taken from my check. I had to mail a check to HR. This has been my experience the last 2 times I have been on maternity leave. The 1st time I had just enough PTO to cover the benefits, but I was full time then. Hopefully you will find out soon. I am not sure what the benefits allowance credit is though.

[BayGirl2]

It depends on your company's policy, but you will likely have to pay the employee portion when you are on unpaid leave. My company let me double up payments when I returned so I didn't have to actually send a check. Regardless of when/how you pay it, that would be the same amount you pay now from your paycheck.

The "Benefits Allowance" sounds like the company is showing you what they pay for your benefits. That's a way for them to make employees aware of how much their portion is. Most (maybe not all) companies will continue to pick up their share as long as you are coming back. If you were leaving the company (i.e. on COBRA) you would pay that full amount.

Just my 2 cents as a former HR person. You should definitely verify with your HR person to be sure.

[liz]

Yes, I had to pay out of pocket for those weeks I wasn't getting a paycheck. My boss was able to spread out my vacation time over those weeks so I would get a check each week, just enough to cover the health insurance etc. (eg during the last few weeks before I went back, she gave me 6 hours of vacation time each week. of course the amount of the check was pitiful, but then I didn't have to send in a check to HR. It was taken out of the paycheck).

[jent]

Yes, I paid.

[wellyes]

Yes. The insurance company helpfully sent a monthly invoice.

[cindys]

I got 6weeks paid maternity leave and then up to 1 yr childcare leave with no pay but health & dental benefits for myself and family were paid for by the company up to the full year.

Cindy
Mama to 3 boys...19, 4 & 21mos

[designermv]

I had to pay out of pocket for my unpaid time as well.

[luckytwenty]

Oh, boo!!

[BabyMine]

I didn't have to pay. They paid 100% even when I went out on LTD. They paid for 36 months.