The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer.
Maternity Leave FAQs
Maternity Leave FAQs
-
What is a Maternity Leave?
Maternity Leave provides you with time off after you give birth. Eligible State Of Michigan employees may be provided with six weeks off work for a natural delivery and eight weeks off work for a cesarean (C-section) delivery.
Your Maternity Leave will run concurrent with any FMLA entitlement.
-
Am I eligible for a Maternity Leave?
If you are a non-represented employee (NERE), you will need to have completed 1,040 hours of satisfactory service to be eligible for a Maternity Leave.
If you are covered by a collective bargaining agreement, you will need to have completed the number of satisfactory service hours shown below:
UAW 1,040 hours AFSCME 2,080 hours MSEA 2,080 hours MPE/SEIU HSS 2,080 hours MPE/SEIU S&E 1,040 hours MPE/SEIU Tech 2,080 hours -
How do I apply for a Maternity Leave?
To apply for a Maternity Leave, you will need to:
- Complete and submit the Application for Leave of Absence form to the Disability Management Unit (DMU).
- Your health care provider must complete and submit the Certification of Employee's Serious Health Condition form to the DMU. This form medically substantiates your pregnancy and provides the medical details of your time off.
- Completed forms may be faxed or mailed to the DMU:
Fax: 517-241-6898
Mail: Disability Management, PO BOX 30831, Lansing, MI 48909Notify your supervisor of your time off and follow your department's normal timekeeping procedures until the DMU has approved your leave.
DMU will:- Email your supervisor and HR office of your request for leave.
- Mail you a letter providing your available FMLA entitlement.
- Mail you a letter of approval or denial of the leave request.
If you need to start your leave earlier than anticipated, you should contact the DMU as soon as possible at 877-443-6362, option 1.
Untimely notice or incomplete forms may delay processing of your leave of absence.
-
How much time off am I entitled to while on Maternity Leave?
The state allows up to six weeks off work for a normal delivery and up to eight weeks off work for a cesarean (C-section) delivery.
For additional time off after your Maternity Leave, you may apply for a Parental Leave.
To apply for a Parental Leave, you will need to submit a medical release from your physician stating that you are released to return to work without restriction. This will close your Maternity Leave.
At the same time, you will need to submit a new leave application Application for Leave of Absence to the Disability Management Unit (DMU) requesting Parental Leave.
-
How do I apply for a Parental Leave after my Maternity Leave has ended?
To apply for a Parental Leave after your Maternity Leave ends, you will need to submit a medical release from your physician stating that you are released to return to work without restriction. This will close your Maternity Leave.
At the same time, you must submit a new Application for Leave of Absence form to the Disability Management Unit (DMU) requesting your Parental Leave.
-
How do I add my child to my insurances?
You have 31 days from the date of birth to add your child to your state sponsored health, dental, and vision insurances. You must contact the MI HR Service Center at 877-766-6447, option 1.
The MI HR Service Center will add your child to your benefits immediately. You must provide a copy of your child's official birth certificate within 31 days of the child's birth.
Birth certificates must be submitted to the MI HR Service Center by Mail: PO BOX 30002, Lansing, MI 48909 or Fax: 517-241-5892.
-
Is my state-employed spouse entitled to time off work?
Your spouse may be eligible to take time off work after the birth of your child for the following reasons:
- To bond with your child. (See Parental Leave FAQs)
- If you or your child has a serious health condition. (See Family Care Leave FAQs)
-
How does a cesarean or a natural delivery affect my time off from work?
After the birth of your child, you may be entitled up to six weeks off work with a natural delivery and up to eight weeks off work with a cesarean delivery.
-
Does my time off work for Maternity Leave count against the six-month medical contractual entitlement?
Depending on your bargaining union, time off for a Maternity Leave may count against your medical contractual agreement.
The following units do not count Maternity Leave against the 6-month guarantee:- AFSCME
- MSEA
- UAW
- NERE (non-represented employees)
- SEIU (Human Service Support)
The following units do count Maternity Leave against the 6-month guarantee:
- SEIU (Scientific & Engineering, & Technical)
If you have questions on your specific entitlement, you may contact the Disability Management Unit (DMU) at 877-443-6362, option 1.
-
Does my time off for a Maternity Leave count against my FMLA entitlement?
If you are eligible for FMLA, your Maternity Leave will count against your FMLA entitlement.
FMLA begins the date that your physician certifies that you can no longer work or the date you deliver your child.
-
What should I do if I develop a medical condition and must start my leave before my anticipated delivery date?
If you have a medical condition during your pregnancy that takes you off work before your delivery date, you must contact the Disability Management Unit (DMU) to update your leave start date. You will need to submit to DMU the medical documentation from your health care provider substantiating that condition and the leave start date.
-
Can I take time off for adoption or foster care?
Yes, but the time off is not taken as a Maternity Leave. If you are eligible, you may take a Parental Leave for an adoption or a foster care placement to bond with your child.
-
What will I need to do once I am ready to return to work from my Maternity Leave?
Before returning to work, you must submit to the Disability Management Unit (DMU) a physician's release statement on official letterhead or a prescription notepad stating you are able to return to work.
If your return to work includes restrictions, your physician will need to identify what those restrictions are and their end date. All restrictions must be approved by the DMU before your return to work.
If the DMU does not receive your restrictions several days in advance of your return, it may delay your return to work.
-
Do I have to use or exhaust my sick leave before going on an unpaid leave?
Yes. Sick leave must be exhausted before going on an unpaid Maternity Leave.
-
What are paid and unpaid Maternity Leaves?
A paid leave is when you use any or all of your accumulated sick leave, annual leave, banked leave time (BLT), or comp time while off on leave.
An unpaid leave is when you’ve exhausted your sick leave and elect not to use or do not have other leave to use while off on leave.
During an unpaid leave, you do not accrue continuous service hours or leave accruals.
If you have enrolled in Long Term Disability (LTD), you must contact Sedgwick at 800-324-9901 to apply for LTD during your Maternity Leave. LTD may cover a portion of your pay during your Maternity Leave.
-
Will Long Term Disability (LTD) cover a Maternity Leave?
The Long Term Disability plan is administered by Sedgwick.
If enrolled in Long Term Disability (LTD), you must submit a claim to Sedgwick. If your claim is approved, your LTD coverage will begin 14 calendar days from your date of disability or the date when all of your sick leave has been exhausted, whichever comes later.
To ensure that you are paid timely, you should contact Sedgwick approximately two weeks before exhausting your sick leave credits.
Sedgwick can be contacted at 800-324-9901.
-
Do I have to use or exhaust my annual leave before going on an unpaid Maternity Leave?
No. You do not have to exhaust your annual leave before starting an unpaid Maternity Leave.
It is important to remember that before your leave you must designate on your leave application if you want to freeze any or all of your annual leave. Once the designation of leave credits has been made on your application, your leave designations cannot be modified.
-
Am I eligible for the entitlements of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)?
To be eligible for FMLA, you must have 12 months of total employment with the State of Michigan and you must have physically worked 1,250 hours within the previous 12 months.
To determine eligibility for FMLA entitlement, contact the Disability Management Unit (DMU) at 877-443-6362, option 1.
-
How do I continue my health, dental, vision, and life insurances while on a Maternity Leave if I am covered by Long Term Disability (LTD) and I am covered under FMLA?
Your health, dental, vision, and dependent life insurance premiums will continue to be deducted from your paycheck while you use leave credits and remain on payroll.
Once you are no longer receiving a paycheck, the Employee Benefits Division (EBD) will mail you a (CS-1820) Application to Continue Insurances that includes the plans (health, dental, vision, and life) that are eligible for continuation. You must select the insurance plans you wish to continue and return the application to EBD.
HEALTH/ LONG TERM DISABILITY (LTD)
- LTD is administered by Sedgwick.
- LTD will pay your entire health insurance premium for up to 6 months if you are receiving LTD.
- LTD does not cover dental and vision premiums.
FMLA
- Dental and vision coverage will be extended through the last day of the pay period when your FMLA ends.
- If you are no longer receiving a paycheck while covered under FMLA, your coverage for dental and vision will continue and your share of premiums will be deducted from your paycheck once you return to work.
- Once FMLA is exhausted, if you elected to continue your dental and vision coverage on the CS-1820 form, EBD will mail you an invoice. You will be responsible for making a direct payment for coverage to continue.
LIFE
- Employee and dependent life insurance coverage continues while on LTD and premiums are waived.
- For more information on life Insurance coverage, please review the benefit booklet on the EBD website.
If you have questions on the Application to Continue Insurances form (CS-1820), contact EBD at 1-800-505-5011.
-
How do I continue my health, dental, vision, and life insurances while on a Maternity Leave if I am not enrolled in Long Term Disability (LTD) and I am not covered under FMLA?
Your health, dental, vision, and dependent life insurance premiums will continue to be deducted from your paycheck while you use leave credits and remain on payroll.
Once you are no longer receiving a paycheck, the Employee Benefits Division (EBD) will mail you a (CS-1820) Application to Continue Insurances that includes the plans (health, dental, vision, and life) that you are eligible to continue. You must select the insurance plans you wish to continue and return the application to EBD.
HEALTH/DENTAL/VISION/LIFE
- Your health, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage will stop at the end of the pay period of your last day paid.
- If you elected to continue your health, dental, vision, or life insurance coverage on the CS-1820 form, EBD will mail an invoice and you will be responsible for making a direct payment for coverage to continue.
If you have questions on the Application to Continue Insurances form (CS-1820), contact EBD at 1-800-505-5011.
-
How do I continue my health, dental, vision, and life insurances while on a Maternity Leave if I am not enrolled in Long Term Disability (LTD) and I am covered under FMLA?
Your health, dental, vision, and dependent life insurance premiums will continue to be deducted from your paycheck while you use leave credits and remain on payroll.
Once you are no longer receiving a paycheck, the Employee Benefits Division (EBD) will mail you a (CS-1820) Application to Continue Insurances that includes the plans (health, dental, vision, and life) that are eligible for continuation. You must select the insurance plans you wish to continue and return the application to EBD.
FMLA
- Health, dental, and vision coverage will be extended through the last day of the pay period of when your FMLA ends.
- If you are no longer receiving a paycheck while covered under FMLA, your coverage for health, dental, and vision will continue and your share of premiums will be deducted from your paycheck once you return to work.
- If FMLA exhausts and you elected to continue any plans on the CS-1820 form, EBD will mail an invoice and you will be responsible for making a direct payment for coverage to continue.
LIFE
- Employee and dependent life insurance coverage will stop at the end of the pay period of your last day paid.
- If life insurance was selected on the CS-1820, an invoice will be mailed from EBD to continue the coverage.
If you have questions on the Application to Continue Insurances form (CS-1820), contact EBD at 1-800-505-5011.
-
How do I continue my health, dental, vision, and life insurances while on a Maternity Leave if I am covered by Long Term Disability (LTD) and I am not covered under FMLA?
Your health, dental, vision, and dependent life insurance premiums will continue to be deducted from your paycheck while you use leave credits and remain on payroll.
Once you are no longer receiving a paycheck, the Employee Benefits Division (EBD) will mail you a (CS-1820) Application to Continue Insurances that includes the plans (health, dental, vision, and life) that are eligible for continuation. You must select the insurance plans you wish to continue and return the application to EBD.
LONG TERM DISABILITY (LTD)
- LTD is administered by Sedgwick.
- LTD will pay your entire health insurance premium for up to 6 months if you are receiving LTD.
- LTD does not cover dental and vision premiums.
DENTAL/VISION
- Your dental and vision coverage will stop at the end of the pay period of your last day paid.
- If you elected to continue your dental and vision coverage on the CS-1820 form, EBD will mail an invoice and you will be responsible for making a direct payment for coverage to continue.
LIFE
- Employee and dependent life insurance coverage continues while on LTD and premiums are waived.
If you have questions on the Application to Continue Insurances form (CS-1820), contact EBD at 1-800-505-5011.
-
What do I need to tell my supervisor about my Maternity Leave?
It is your responsibility to inform your supervisor of your initial request to take time off for a leave and any subsequent extensions. This allows your department time to appropriately schedule staff and workloads.
The DMU will notify you and your supervisor when a determination has been made on your leave request. Until then, you should keep your supervisor informed of your status.
-
How do I contact the Disability Management Unit (DMU)?
Disability Management Unit is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm. Contact them by phone at 877-443-6362, option 1. You may also fax documentation to 517-241-6898.