When I found out I was pregnant earlier this year, one of the first people I confided in was my coworker and good friend who had given birth recently. Her biggest tip for me was to get my maternity leave paperwork organized right away, telling me how frustrating it had been for her to do.
At first, I didn’t think too much of it. We both work for What to Expect, so we're pretty familiar with pregnancy and parenting. I assumed I’d have no problem filling out some paperwork on my own. But as soon as I started, I quickly realized how right she was. Figuring out how much parental leave I was entitled to — and how to complete the dizzying number of forms and where to send them — was so much harder than I expected it to be.
Everyone’s situation is a little different, but my employer provides up to 18 weeks of parental leave. Some of it is "short-term disability" leave that requires filing more forms with an insurance provider. I’m also entitled to job-protected unpaid leave through the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA), so I had to complete additional paperwork for that, too. And in California, where I live, I’m eligible for state-sponsored leave.[1] All of this was a little confusing, and I couldn’t tell how each benefit fit into the others.
How I found out about parental leave consulting
One day, when I was 14 weeks pregnant, my friend sent me a link to a TikTok from Linzay Davis, a California woman who owns a parental leave consulting business called The Park. “You know what,” she said, “if I’d known about this lady when I was pregnant, I would have hired her.”
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Overwhelmed by the many complicated steps and forms in front of me — all of which seemed to have confusing abbreviations like PFL or SDI — I decided to follow her advice. I signed up for The Park’s California Package, allowing Linzay’s team to guide me through the process. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I’d made as a mom-to-be.
How parental leave consulting works
The package I bought included a private introductory call with one of the company’s consultants, Stacy. In our initial one-on-one, she clarified a lot of things, including what I was entitled to through my state program and work benefits — plus how and when I would get paid. She also explained how my husband’s paternity leave would work.
After our call, I received an email with notes summarizing everything we discussed and tips for organizing our paperwork. Stacy created a calendar so we’d know exactly when to file each form, including what we'd need to do once I eventually gave birth.
I appreciated, too, that she encouraged me to submit all of my direct deposit information ASAP, so I’d get paid faster and not have to wait for a check to come in the mail. She even created an email template so I could officially let HR know I was pregnant — all I had to do was copy and paste.
I also loved that I had someone on hand to help me quickly troubleshoot any issues that came up, and I no longer had to wade through all of those government websites (or call and wait for hours on hold) myself.
Stacy also gave me a heads-up about handling my taxes as a new parent. I hadn’t even thought to ask about this, but she explained that after you give birth, your credits and deductions are a little different. She made sure I understood that the benefits I’d be getting from California aren’t taxable in the state, but are considered federal income, which was something that surprised me.
How much does hiring a parental leave consultant cost?
The package I purchased cost $300, which isn’t cheap, but the money felt well worth it to me. Other packages available from The Park and similar consulting services can cost $200 or more.
Hiring this service saved me hours (if not literal days) of poring over the different websites and waiting on hold with the California employment department to ask questions. Getting rid of this mental load here also meant my husband and I had one less thing to worry about — and more energy to focus on preparing for our baby.
Most importantly, Stacy also helped my husband and I come up with a concrete plan to claim the absolute max amount of paid leave we were entitled to. She even helped me realize that I could start my leave several weeks before I went into labor.
I know I’m privileged to be able to afford a service like this, as well as to have any paid family leave at all. There are no federal laws guaranteeing parental leave in the U.S., and only about 27% of private sector employees have access to paid family leave.[2]
Is it worth hiring a parental leave consultant?
All new moms should be entitled to paid time off to fully recover and bond with their babies. And navigating the system to take that time — and get paid promptly — shouldn’t be so complicated. But in the meantime, I think many working parents would be able to benefit from a consulting service like the one I used.
If your employer offers paid leave or you live in a state that guarantees some form of paid family leave (such California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Washington D.C.), I think hiring a leave consultant could help maximize the benefits available to you.
There aren’t tons of businesses that specialize in this (yet), but some other options you can consider include the Liberated Mother Society, Milk Your Benefits and California Maternity Leave Consulting. I’d look for someone with relevant qualifications, such as experience working as an accountant, lawyer or human resources consultant.
I had been experiencing total information overload before I hired a parental leave consultant. But now, a few days before my maternity leave starts, I feel confident and well-informed, and as ready as I’ll ever be for this whole parenting thing.
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