04/28/2011

Lisa Pierson Weinberger

Checking off that preparation to-do list before the baby is born can be overwhelming - especially when your career is involved.

Checking off that preparation to-do list before the baby is born can be overwhelming -especially when your career is involved.    Lisa Pierson Weinberger, ESQ., celebrity lawyer turned rock star mom and founder of legal advice consultancy Mom, Esq., shares her insider secrets on how to best prepare for leave so you and your family can focus on the thrilling months ahead!

1.  As soon as you confirm that you are pregnant and have told your employer, relevant policies should be reviewed with the HR department.  Informing them after the first trimester is best so you know that the pregnancy is healthy. The only exception is if you have severe morning sickness and need an accommodation for that, in which case you would need to disclose the pregnancy-related disability to your employer.

 

2.  Contact your state's Department of Labor to find out if there are any state disability insurance programs or paid family leave insurance payments available to women on maternity leave and, if so, how to apply for them.

 

3.  Consider saving your vacation and sick time so that you will have as many days as possible accrued before your leave commences.

 

 4.  If some or all of your maternity leave will be unpaid, take some time early in your pregnancy to create a savings plan for how you will meet your financial obligations during your leave.

 

 5.  No matter how much energy you think you will have after the baby is born (or how much you think you will miss your job while on leave), do not commit to "work from home while the baby naps" or take on certain projects during your leave.  Use your leave to bond with your baby, recover from pregnancy and delivery, and adjust to life with the newest member of your family -- you can always offer to help out if you want to when the time comes, but it's best not to make promises that you will later regret.  

 

Prior to founding Mom, Esq., Lisa Pierson Weinberger spent 7 years at the prestigious entertainment law firm of Greenberg Glusker working as an employment lawyer with many of Hollywood’s A-List celebrities. She counseled on matters related to large domestic staffs, advising on the hiring process, background checks, wage issues, counseling, discipline, terminations, and preparing employment applications, offer letters and a variety of agreements including employment, confidentiality, arbitration, severance and release agreements. Weinberger has a B.A. in Psychology, with honors, from Washington University and a J.D. from the UCLA School of Law.