Hi. I started my PhD program in June 2010. I have funding - tuition plus $14K per CALENDAR YEAR. So, My first contract was June 1 to June 30, and the next contract I signed was July 1, 2010, to June 30, 2011.
My husband and I were talking about starting a family before I got into this program, and we're still considering it. For obvious reasons, being so new in the program, I don't really feel like approaching my advisor or the program secretary to ask about this just yet. I have been very dissapointed in my school's graduate college website. It is impossible to find information about taking a medical leave as a grad student. The information on taking staff and faculty leaves is, of course, easy to find. Geesh.
Just for comparison, I looked up the same information at my undergrad institution (Indiana University). The info was easy to find, and I was pleasantly surprised that grad assistants at IU are entitled to FMLA. As in, if you get pregnant, you can take up to 2 years leave without having to reapply, plus you get 6 weeks of paid maternity leave.
I guess I didn't realize that FMLA applied to graduate assistants. Is that nationwide, or is IU just awesome like that?
I was just wondering if anyone out there has any thoughts, advice, and/or personal experience on this.
