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.