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Tagged with 'Ask'

Five Things to Ask Your Employer BEFORE Maternity Leave

The Five Things People Tell Us They Wish They Had Asked An Employer BEFORE Maternity Leave

Contributed by Julia Beck who is the founder of the It's Working Project by Forty Weeks

We’ve all seen the checklists for the baby registry, the nursery, and the hospital bag, but what about the checklist for your maternity leave? When you’re getting ready for maternity leave or even thinking about pregnancy, HR is a great clearinghouse of information. But the guiding details that can often make the biggest difference in working parents’ leave and return to work don’t come from a manual, they come from real life experiences.

This is where the sisterhood of motherhood comes in.  

Here at the It’s Working Project, we’ve talked to moms (and dads!) about their back-to-work experience: what they’ve learned, what they wished they’d known, and what insights they have for other parents.  The conversations are candid, honest, and sometimes not always easy. The biggest takeaway? Many wished they’d spoken up sooner about taking leave.

Over 200 parents have shared their stories with us at the Portrait Project. Many have done so because they want to see one another succeed. We know that sharing stories with other working parents in the private sector can spark a conversation and support positive change in real time.

Here are the top five things contributors to the Portrait Project wished they had asked their employer before going on maternity leave:

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