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For Johanna Baldassarri, preparing for the arrival of her first child, Charlie, two years ago, and second child, Cassidy, just seven weeks old, were wildly different experiences.
“When it comes to your first child, you do everything that you can,” said Baldassarri, operations manager for BWH Nursing Services. “My husband and I got the nursery ready, researched all kinds of car seats and baby wipes and more. With our second child, we were lucky to have a crib in the room! You just know you’re going to figure it out somehow. We were mostly concerned about preparing Charlie for her arrival, since he was very accustomed to being only child. But it turns out, we didn’t have anything to worry about.”
Baldassarri, who is approaching her sixth year at BWH, recalls another difference this time around: her use of the short-term disability program. During her first maternity leave, Baldassarri used her accrued benefit time (BT) and extended sick leave (ESL) for the entire 12 weeks. However, with her second child due just two years after her first, Baldassarri did not have as much time to accrue the BT or ESL she would need. She says she is especially grateful for the new short-term disability program option that BWH began offering this year.
“If I did not have the short-term disability benefit, I would not be getting paid for my entire maternity leave as I am now,” said Baldassarri. “The new program really worked well for my family. It’s been a great benefit.”
Implemented in January, the short-term disability program, which is available to all non-bargaining unit employees, allows employees requesting maternity leave to take up to 12 weeks of Family and Medical Leave Act time (FMLA). During the first two weeks, employees use their benefit time (BT), if they have time accrued, or go unpaid. During weeks three through eight, employees can be paid 60 percent short-term disability by the hospital (or buy up to 75 percent coverage during open enrollment, which consists of small weekly paycheck deductions).
For these weeks, employees can supplement with BT and/or ESL to receive 100 percent of their regular pay. For weeks nine through 12, employees can BT and/or ESL if available. The program provides the same option for employees requesting paternity, adoption or foster care placement leaves as well.
“It’s gratifying to see this new benefit doing exactly what it was designed to do—provide flexibility and options for our employees who need time away,” said Vice President of Human Resources Julie Celano.
Added Baldassarri: “The best thing about the short-term disability program is being able to come back to work after my maternity leave and still have some of my BT available.”
As for Charlie, he loves being a big brother, said Baldassarri. “He’s really wonderful with Cassidy. He gives her kisses and tries to show her his trains all the time.”
To learn more about the short-term disability program, visit BWHPikeNotes.org.