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StorkNet Home > Parenting Channel > Working Mothers Cubby
Utilizing Company Benefits
by Kenyatta Thomas
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Since having Christian, I have probably used more of my company's benefits than ever before. BC-Before Child, I took the standard health care package, and sailed happily along. AC-After Child, I really had to look at how to utilize what my company was offering, ESPECIALLY with the huge cost of daycare I was shelling out every week. Here is what I found so far:
Childcare Supplement:
See if your job offers to offset what you pay in childcare. A lot of companies will reimburse you for all, half, or part of what you pay in childcare. With my job, they offer to reimburse up to 5000.00. You submit receipts to what you have spent, and you are reimbursed from money taken out your check BEFORE taxes.
Flex Spending:
A lot of jobs offer this, and it doesn't limit you to childcare expenses, but ANY expense paid for a dependent.
Are you utilizing the benefits your company provides? Have you updated your benefits package since having your child?
Even self-employed and people in the service industry can still get covered by insurance, by companies that accept as little as 5 people to be considered "group" insured, and they too can benefit form HMO's, PPO's, etc.
Besides clipping coupons and shopping at clothes outlet stores, here are some other ways moms have found to offset childcare expenses and other expenses incurred:
 I have great maternity leave. I had two children during my 12 years as a firefighter. When I found out I was pregnant, it was about 7 weeks. I got a doctor's note and they put me on the medical lay-up roll. From that moment I have up to a year off with pay. I was off 10 months plus used 7 1/2 weeks vacation time for each baby. I left myself two months in case I needed it for any other reason. I also have an HMO, which I like; I've never had any problems with it. ~Cindy
The only reason I got paid during my maternity leave was because it falls under the guidelines of "short term disability" at my job , BUT, if you don't ALREADY have the benefits being taken from your check, you don't get it once you find out you are pregnant! That's what made me think about starting this thread, because there are many LOOPHOLES sometimes in our benefits packages. I'm a calamity Jane; it seems as if something is ALWAYS happening to me, so I have ALWAYS paid for long and short term disability options. It only averages about 6 dollars a paycheck. Short-term disability paid 88% of my pay - no taxes- so it was like getting a full paycheck for 12 weeks. ~Lisa
That's why it is SO important to stay in tune with what your company offers, and the different things that are decided upon during times of Open Enrollment. Things are taken away and added to your benefits packages all the time, and most employees do not realize the advantages of most things that are offered through company benefits.
So if you haven't already, open that employee handbook, establish a rapport with someone in your human resources department - you never know when you will need a service that they provide for you as an employee.
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