The Family & Medical Leave Act of 1993 celebrated its 20 birthday in existence in February, and it has provided protected maternity leaves for millions of women who would have otherwise been fired. The FMLA provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave protection for the adoption or birth of your child, but It only applies to employees who have worked full-time for at least one year for a company with 50 or more employees.
If your employer tells you that you’re not entitled to maternity leave because they’re too small or because you’ve haven’t worked there long enough, chances are they’re misstating the truth, using the FMLA requirements to mislead you into resigning when the baby’s born, because “it looks better on your employment record,” they sometimes say.
Don’t listen to them–most states and cities and provide independent job protection for pregnant women–check with a qualified employment lawyer before you quit–you are entitled to maternity leave.