38 SEPTEMBER 2023 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL of time off from work following the birth of a baby—cobbled together from sick leave, annual leave, and leave without pay— without losing our jobs. Other new parents in the United States are not so lucky. A recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed more than three in four private sector employees do not have access to paid family leave and nearly three in four fathers take less than 10 days of parental leave after adding a child to the family. Our suggestions are based on observations, conversations with colleagues about their experiences, and on our own personal experiences, having welcomed seven babies into our respective families over the past 10 years. (Note: Some of the recommendations we offer could also apply to situations in which people are preparing to be out of the office for medical leave or other extended leave.) Sharing the News Once you share the news that you or your partner is expecting a baby, it will spread like wildfire. If informing people yourself is important to you, try to share it on the same day with all important people on your team and in your chain of command, starting with your immediate supervisor. Your happy news may also create a management puzzle as your team grapples with the prospect of your upcoming absence, given there is not yet an immediately available float of officers to cover short-term gaps. Do your homework so that you can pair the news with some possible next steps, helping your office navigate your absence. How long will you be out? How might your portfolio be covered? For birth mothers, do you want to telework before the birth, and if so, what options are there? It is also useful to speak with your supervisor in advance about medical appointment timing and other requests for flexibility you may require. Fathers should not shy away from asking for this time as well, as these experiences are equally applicable to either parent. For those adopting, to the extent possible, identify in advance your anticipated appointments to allow the office to plan around your absence. Know what you can ask for within regulations. The Bureau of Global Talent Management’s (GTM) “New Parent Guide” and the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) “Handbook on Flexibilities for Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care” are helpful resources. There are other considerations to include as you plan. Proposed leave length. Will you be out 12 weeks, 16 weeks, or longer? Will you work up to the delivery date? One of our colleagues was surprised to run into her supervisor’s assumptions about when she would go on leave, which were based on old rules. Also, give yourself room to change your mind. Another colleague, having worked up until the day of delivery with baby number one, assumed she would do the same with baby number two, and she did—but he was a much heavier baby, and she found it more difficult than she anticipated to stay mobile in the last weeks of pregnancy the second time around. A first-time father received pushback from his supervisor when he gave notice that he was taking 12 weeks of leave. The supervisor was not aware of the then-new policy. Bottom line: know the policy and communicate your plans early. COURTESY OF ISABEL RIOJA-SCOTT AND LAURA HOCHLA Laura Hochla (at left) and Isabel Rioja-Scott with their kids at the office. The authors noted that they had a hard time finding photos of their little ones at work, as it never really seemed OK to bring them. But when it did happen, it was always around Halloween.
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