Maternity Leave Has Been No Vacation in Inside My Head

My last day of work was November 28th. New Jersey, along with California and Rhode Island, is one of three (THREE??!!!) states to offer paid maternity leave. I get 4 weeks prior to my due date and 6-8 weeks (depending on vaginal birth vs c-section) after the baby is born. After that I get some money from supplemental disability insurance and from the state for an additional 6 weeks. I thought my maternity leave would be filled with days of me somewhat relaxed on my couch, watching old movies, and catching up on some household chores. Nope.

I am more stressed out since I’ve been on leave than I was when I was working. First, my OBGYN’s billing department and my employer’s human resources department has been mostly useless. I faxed in paperwork for the OBGYN office to fill out last Monday. Was it done? No. I had to call and beg this woman to do her job. Until she faxes in this paperwork, my application for maternity leave cannot be processed. She faxed it in and the human resources lady tells me that she never got it, I didn’t want any more further delays in my application so I told her I would drive to the OBGYN office, physically pick up the paperwork, and drive it to the human resource department at my hospital. I’m halfway to the office when the human resources lady told me “Oh I found the fax, you don’t have to drive here after all.” (Gee thanks, asshole). “But by the way, since you have a second job, you have to fill out additional paperwork, which may also hold up your application.” I had to pull over to the shoulder of the highway and stop my car. I was so mad I was worried I would slam into something because I wasn’t even paying attention to the road. Nice, right? Nine months pregnant and almost getting into a car accident because people can’t do their jobs. As calmly as I could I explained to her that she’s had my paperwork since the end of October where it clearly listed that I had two jobs – she and I even discussed it when I had asked if it would affect how much reimbursement I would get. Why is she first bring this to my attention now??!! She denied any knowledge of knowing that I had a second job and told me that I should have my second job fill out the paperwork ASAP to prevent further delays.

After multiple calls to Mount Sinai (my second job), I emailed the paperwork to the correct department. Hopefully it will get filled out quickly and I will actually start getting the money from the state and from my employer. I saved up some money which should last me until mid January to pay bills, but if I don’t get money from my employer and the state of NJ by mid January, Michael and I will be in trouble. Just what I need to worry about… What kills me is that I sent in the paperwork to HR in late October and stuff still isn’t done. I want to cry. I’m terrified I’ll have to go back to work when the kid is only a month old because our money ran out and I won’t get money from the hospital and from the state because my human resources department is run so haphazardly. All I want to do is enjoy this pregnancy as much as possible. It may be my only one. I don’t know if I can get pregnant again. Instead of enjoying it, I’m worried about money and jerks from the HR department.

Artist

Peniaphobia - fear of poverty