Options for maternity leave can vary wildly in the United States depending on where you work and which state you live in. It can feel like an overwhelming landscape to navigate. But with a little detective work and some self-advocacy, you can become your own Short-Term Disability pro in no time.
This article specifically focuses on using Short-Term Disability Insurance (SDI) as a way to get paid maternity leave. For a more comprehensive guide, check out The Ultimate Maternity Leave Roadmap.
SDI provides compensation for income loss due to illness or injury (or recovery from childbirth) that leaves you unable to work. Availability differs greatly between various states, companies, policies, and conditions. While traditional paid maternity leave is administered directly from your workplace, SDI is typically paid through an insurance policy contracted by your workplace. When using SDI for maternity leave, the normal payout benefit ranges between 50-80% of your pre-leave income for 3 months after you give birth, on average.
Take these steps to find out how you can use SDI to receive benefits during your time off.
Find out your employer’s pregnancy and maternity leave policies.
The most common way to receive SDI benefits is through your company’s insurance policy. 67%% of organizations offer short-term disability benefits to their employees. If you live in California, New Jersey, New York, Hawaii, Rhode Island, or Puerto Rico, your employer is required to provide SDI as part of your benefits.
The first step is to track down your workplace’s pregnancy and maternity leave policies. Specifically, ask your HR department, or the person in charge of employee benefits, about the company’s SDI policy and whether maternity leave is covered as part of that policy. If you live in a state that requires SDI, your employer is also required to give you information about accessing those benefits through your state.
It’s a good idea to give your employer plenty of notice before your due date so that you both have adequate time to plan for your maternity leave. Telling your employer that you’re pregnant can be nerve-racking, but you don’t have to tell them the minute you get a positive pregnancy test.
It is helpful to let them know sometime in your second trimester so that you can form a maternity leave plan for delegating work while you are away. Here are some ideas on how to tell your boss your pregnancy news.
Make arrangements with your company’s SDI insurance company before you start your leave.
Your HR department should provide the information you need to contact the SDI insurance company and arrange your leave. The core process is pretty simple: you tell the insurer your expected due date, how many weeks of leave you’re requesting, and your healthcare provider’s information. Once you give birth, you call the insurer and let them know you gave birth to officially start the clock on your leave.
The insurer usually asks you to authorize them to receive information from your doctor so that they can verify your eligibility for SDI. They may ask you to complete various forms or provide documentation like a positive pregnancy test, doctor’s note, or ACH payment information in order to set up your claim. Ask your insurer for a list of everything they need to process the payments.
If you need to leave work before you give birth for a pregnancy-related health condition, you may be able to start using your SDI benefits at that point. Contact your insurer and HR department as soon as you are no longer able to work (with your medical documentation ready to go) so you can get your benefits processed as soon as possible.
Advocate for yourself with the SDI provider throughout your leave.
You might sign up for the standard leave with your company’s SDI provider, only to find out that you need more time due to complications that arise during labor or postpartum. Maybe you have an unexpected C-section with extended recovery time, or you or your baby develop common ailments like mastitis or thrush in the so-called fourth trimester. Many SDI policies allow you to extend your leave period, as long as you can provide medical documentation explaining your need for more leave.
Getting an extension will likely require you to be a strong self-advocate with the SDI provider. Don’t be afraid to call the SDI company—several times even—until you reach someone who can confidently discuss the full spectrum of SDI benefits with you.
If your company doesn’t offer SDI, purchase private insurance.
If your company does not offer SDI, you might be able to purchase a plan through a private insurance provider. Unfortunately, you usually need to purchase these kinds of plans before you get pregnant in order to be able to use it for maternity leave.
Next steps if you don’t have SDI.
If you find out that you can’t get SDI through your employer or private insurance, you’re not alone; in 2021, only about 23% of private industry workers had access to paid family leave benefits. In 2024, that number is up to over 70%.
Check out these tips on how to financially survive unpaid maternity leave. There are more options than you might think!
Pregnancy and maternity leave don’t have to make you feel isolated. You can get creative to receive the support you need. Every woman is capable of surviving and thriving in motherhood, no matter what headwinds she may face.