Financial Planning for Leave of Absence

If your employer does not pay for leave, try these tips:

1. Explore how you might get paid by your employer while taking time off:

   1. Can you use other accrued paid time off such as vacation or sick time to cover all or some of your time off?

   2. Can you build up a bank of additional paid time off ahead of your leave of absence?

2. Explore other resources:

   1. Short term disability insurance. Do you have access to this insurance plan through your employer? If so, check to see if it covers pregnancy or your particular medical need. Unfortunately, this insurance does not typically cover caretaking or baby bonding.

   2. Income dependent subsidies, including rental assistance, food assistance, and free or subsidized health care insurance.

   3. Look for ways to lower the cost of your credit card debt, student loan debt, or for your mortgage by hunting for loans with lower fees and lower interest rates.