Parents who work
Every
parent's situation is different and employment options and opportunities can
vary. The information provided here is not a comprehensive statement of
your rights or the law, and you should always consult your contract and your
employer for more details about your own situation.
As
parents who work, you’ll have to consider childcare options, working hours,
leave, and finances…
Childcare options
As
a working parent you'll be juggling working life with childcare. You'll
probably begin thinking about childcare options almost as soon as you begin
thinking about your birth plan or decorating the nursery. As your child reaches
key developmental stages, he or she will have changing needs – but you’ll have
needs too, which may be best met by informal childcare by family and friends,
daycare or a nanny for your baby; and afterschool care for older children. See finding the right childcare for what these options involve.
Working hours
Your
employer may be open to you starting and finishing work earlier in order to fit
in with childcare if you go to him with a plan for how you can make this work.
Alternately, depending on what type of work you o, thy might be happy for you
to complete some of it at home as a telecommute (although this may be easier
said than done if you intend working with your child present). While your
employer might be open to reducing your hours, keep in mind that this may
affect your health insurance if you get this as an employee benefit.
If
you can work part-time it has many advantages. You’ll be able to combine your
paid work and your role as a parent, which may reduce stress and absenteeism
since you can arrange things like pediatrician appointments for the days when
you’re not working. You can keep up your skills rather than taking a complete
break from work and needing to retrain when you go back into the workforce; and
if you work part time as part of a jobshare your employer may benefit from two
sets of skills and ideas.
The
main disadvantage is financial – obviously you will earn less money. Your
career and promotion prospects may also be reduced and you may also find
yourself under pressure to do more that you can in the hours you work, and work
overtime to complete tasks.
Leave
Under
the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) some workers can take to up to 12
weeks’ unpaid leave in any one year around the birth of their baby or because
of ill health in their family. Your employer may ask for certification from a
medical provider confirming your need to take the leave.
Your
employer is required to keep your job open for you with the same salary,
benefits and seniority. However, it’s only available if you work for a company
that employs more than 50 staff who have to live within 75 miles of your
workplace and have been with your employer for at least a year. Also, your
employer isn’t obliged to hold your job if you’re among the top 10 highest-paid
employees and they can demonstrate that keeping your position open would be
difficult.
If your request is denied and
you feel that you are eligible to take the leave, contact the US Department of
Labor (www.dol.gov)
or consult a lawyer who has experience in dealing with workers’ rights for
advice.
Financial considerations
You’ll be able to claim your
baby as a dependent on your tax return, and you’ll be eligible for the Child
Tax Credit if you earn more than $11,750 but less than $110,000 (for single
parents it’s $75,000. Your baby needs a social security number in order for you
to claim this – you can apply for a number for your baby on the forms given you
by the hospital or at your local social security office (see also your
baby’s birth certificate and social security number).
You may also qualify for the
Childcare Credit, which enables you to claim back up 20-35 percent of childcare
expenses if you pay someone to take care of your child while you work or study.
Your caregiver will have to provide you with a social security number or
taxpayer ID (if you also have an older child, preschools, afterschool care and
summer camps qualify too). Bear in mind that if you’re a high earner, a
flexible spending account may be a better option than the childcare tax credit
– this allows employees to set aside up to $5,000 tax-free for childcare
expenses.
Did you adopt your baby? If so,
be sure to claim the Adoption Credit, which means you can subtract certain
expenses related to the adoption precedure, such as court costs, attorney fees
and travel expenses up to $11,390.
If you’re on a low income and
your employer doesn’t provide health insurance, your child may qualify for free
or low-cost insurance through your state’s insurance program, which covers
babies, children and teenagers. Eligibility rules vary but in most states, uninsured
children up to 18 years old whose families earn up to $34,100 a year (for a
family of four) qualify. The US Department of Health and Human Services’ Insure
Kids Now website (www.insurekidsnow.gov) has information and links to
your state’s program.
The information in this feature is intended for
educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the
health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a
doctor or other healthcare professional.
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Last Modified: 15/06/2007
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