Career Change - Health Insurance

[Lights 56]

Hi everyone,

I thought I'd put this out here. I'm a Canadian living in the US, I have been here for almost a year. When I moved, I had no trouble finding work. My previous VP sought me out when he started working at a new company and ended up hiring me. They had to wait a few months for my EAD to be approved but once it was, I started.

I've been in this industry for years. I'm talking almost 10 years. I know it like the back of my hand. It's exciting and rewarding but it requires a lot of travel and time commitment.

My husband and I want to start having children in the next year or so. My current job requires me to be out of my house by 6:30 am (commute over an hour) and home by 8 pm (combination between overtime and commute). The balance is off and I don't like it. I can only imagine what it'd be like when we do have kids. I'll be working to afford day care and I would never get to see our kids. Is it worth it for me to take a pay cut and reduce my hours? That's what I'm thinking...

In Canada, mat leave is up to 52 weeks. In California, it's despicable. I'm having a hard time accepting that because of what I was raised to expect in Canada. It got me thinking about health insurance and how little parental employee's now in the US. I am far from an expert, but there's something in me that believes that we could plan around this better. Maybe legally, we can't get to 52 weeks. But perhaps there's more options for mothers and fathers when it comes to financial planning and raising a family.

Anyway, I'm wondering if anyone has experience in this industry. There is a lot more flexibility in that I would have the opportunity to work from a home office.

TIA.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Are you saying you want to make a career change into Health Insurance, sorry - not clear on what you're asking.

And yes, the lack of maternity leave is despicable, its just not something that valued and nothing is enforced at the state or federal level in the way of laws. You may want to consider it your life's work to make a change to the laws. It will be long haul.

[jfgk1987 303]

Can you clarify what you're asking? I can try to answer some questions...

To even get maternity leave the company you work for must have over 50 employees and you have to have worked at the same company a minimum of one year (and some other rules I forgot). Maternity leave is the worst here, paid maternity leave is not really a thing. The standard leave is 12 weeks, generally unpaid of course (though I see you live in California, don't they have paid family leave?). Aside from health insurance covering the medical expenses financially you're on your own during maternity leave, like some people don't even take maternity leave because they can't afford to miss work. It's sad really.