How to Plan for Maternity Leave When You’re Freelance or Self-Employed
Practical, tangible, expert advice for taking maternity leave when you work for yourself.
Source: Windows
Here in the U.S., there’s nothing straightforward about maternity leave. Whether you’re eligible for benefits, time off, and guaranteed job protection depends largely on your employer’s policies, and whether you can pass through the red tape surrounding the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
However insufficient these policies may be, at least there are some supports in place for corporate employees. But when it comes to independent workers, like freelancers and small business owners, maternity leave gets even murkier.
“The biggest pitfall of freelancing is that you don’t have the social safety net that traditional employees get when they’re working,” says Rafael Espinal, the executive director of the Freelancers Union, a non-profit supporting independent workers across industries.
Without those supports in place–or even an HR department to offer guidance–the idea of taking maternity leave may feel out of reach. But it doesn’t have to. If you’re stressing about how to plan for maternity leave when you’re self-employed or freelance, consider this your guide to doing just that–including how to keep your business running, what maternity leave benefits are available for freelancers, and more.
Meet the Experts
Rafael Espinal: Executive director of the Freelancers Union, a national nonprofit that supports independent workers with education, resources, and advocacy.
Linzay Davis: Member of Mother Untitled’s Expert Directory, and founder and CEO of The Park, a parental leave consulting agency that helps new parents navigate the maternity leave process.
Ease Your Fears About Taking Time Off
The first step to welcoming a baby into the self-employed life is to plan to take time away from work. While that may feel simplistic, the idea of stepping away and potentially losing clients in the process can be enough to send independent workers into a tailspin.
To work through your fears, parental leave expert Linzay Davis says it’s important to determine why you’re hesitant about stepping away in the first place. Is it because you’re still working to build a client roster and feel like you’ll never find work if you don’t say a resounding ‘yes’ to everything? Or are your fears related to your finances, and you’re afraid you can’t pay your bills if you don’t consistently bring in new work?
Prioritize Now, Knowing It’s Temporary
As much as we may lament the world-rocking changes a new baby brings, they’re only temporary, Davis says. For now, you may need to say ‘no’ more than you’ve been accustomed to in the past.
“There will be a short period when your baby is really young and your sleep is disrupted and you just need to turn inward.” she notes. “Set the expectation that you are open to whatever you and your baby need postpartum. That’s more important than what your business and clients might need.”
Plan Ahead
If pausing your business for a baby is a financial risk you can’t afford to take, there are ways to find your footing and ensure you have time away. The first step? Reaching out to clients to work ahead on their production calendar. Depending on your industry, consider what assignments you can complete well in advance, such as mocking up logo designs, researching and writing articles, or putting together social media plans. Take an assessment of work that can be pre-planned and begin this process 3-4 months before your due date.
You may also wish to explore options for earning passive income, such as selling an online course or e-book.
Know What Maternity Leave Benefits Are Available for Freelancers
Freelancers may be newly eligible for paid family and medical leave in 10 states across the country. While every state has its own eligibility requirements, the Freelancers Union can direct you to the rules guiding each state’s program.
Freelancers may be newly eligible for paid family and medical leave in 10 states across the country.
“If you’re based in New York, for example, and it’s your first year freelancing, you must pay into the program for six months before you can tap into the benefits,” Espinal says.
Additionally, Espinal says you may find short-term disability through an insurance company–though he notes this is a route best reserved for individuals planning to expand their families in advance of getting pregnant.
Keep Your Business Running During Maternity Leave
While there are many benefits to being a freelancer, (pets for coworkers to start), you do miss out on the job protection a traditional maternity leave provides. To keep your business humming along in your absence–and ensure you have work to return to–consider taking the following steps:
Communicate Openly With Clients
If there’s one rule to planning maternity leave when you work for yourself it’s to communicate openly and honestly with your clients. “It’s important that you build a rapport and you make clear to your clients how much time you’re planning to take off, and that you have every intention of being available to take on future projects,” says Espinal.
Let clients know they’re in good hands by sharing your maternity leave plans and setting expectations for what you’ll do before and after your time away. Plan an initial meeting at least two months in advance to review the plan together, gather feedback, and have breathing room to make adjustments.
Make clear to your clients how much time you’re planning to take off, and that you have every intention of being available to take on future projects.
Hire Help
If you’re in the position to hire help, consider bringing in a temporary worker to handle a portion of your responsibilities, such as answering emails, packing orders, or maintaining client calendars. You may also think about subcontracting with another freelancer, bringing them in under the umbrella of your business to complete work while you’re away. If you go this route, you’ll want to make introductions in advance to make sure both your new hire and clients feel comfortable with the arrangement–and feel confident that you have a thoughtful, organized plan in place.
No matter what role you ultimately hire for, entrusting your business and client relationships to someone else can be nerve-wracking. To calm your fears, start your search within your professional and personal networks, asking for independent contractors who come highly recommended from people you trust. Be sure to request references from potential hires, too.
Create Canned Responses
Plan to detach yourself from email while you’re out on leave. If your inbox will be unattended for weeks on end, be sure to set up your auto-away message with a note about when you’ll return. In that message, include links to your website that detail your services and frequently asked questions.
Record Your Processes
Especially important if you bring in a new or temporary hire, screen-recording your work tasks will ensure everyone has what they need while you’re away. You can do this for free using a platform like Loom. From there, drop your videos into a Google Drive folder or document pertaining to each client or project.
Have a Grace Period
No two childbirth experiences are alike, so give yourself a cushion before returning to work at your full capacity. You never know what’s in store during the postpartum period. Perhaps you will want to transition back gradually, accepting just 1-2 projects to start. No matter how you return to your work, give yourself time to adjust to blending parenting with self-employed life.
When it comes to anticipating your needs postpartum, Davis encourages you to be generous with yourself. “This is going to be a huge transition,” she says. “Don’t put any big projects on the calendar for a while, and just give yourself time.”
