Maternity Resources & Benefits
Now What? Maternity Leave Checklist
Whether this is your first or fifth family addition you may be asking yourself—now what? Here’s a checklist to get started. More detail on each of these items can be found in this guide.
- Tell your manager and HR manager your exciting news.
- Plan your future time off.
- Initiate your short-term disability (STD) and FMLA claims 60 days prior to your due date by calling Prudential at 800-842-1718.
- Request a copy of your child’s birth certificate for dependent verification.
- Call Prudential no later than a week after your child’s birth to finalize your STD claim. You can also fill out an online form on Prudential.com. You will not receive short-term disability paychecks if you do not contact Prudential after the baby’s birth. Please do so in a timely manner.
- Sign your new addition up for Dot insurance within 30 days of their birth.
Maternity Resources
We realize how challenging pregnancy and the adjustment of returning to work can be for you and your child. Dot is proud to offer the following support during this time.
Special Circumstances
If you have medical circumstances that require you to start your maternity leave early, you will need to contact Prudential at that time. Prudential may approve the time off prior to your delivery date. In addition, if complications arise early in your pregnancy or after the delivery, your physician will need to provide supporting information, including specific restrictions and limitations, to Prudential to confirm the need for additional disability benefits. In most states, a cesarean delivery is considered a normal delivery and, unless there are complications, would not require an extended maternity leave.
Pregnancy Resources Through Blue Cross Blue Shield
Ovia Health
Ovia Health™ apps feature health trackers, videos, tips, coaching and support for pregnancy.* The Ovia Pregnancy app can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. During sign-up, make sure you choose “I have Ovia Health as a benefit.” Then select BCBSIL as your health plan and enter your employer’s name.
*Ovia Health is an independent company that provides maternity and family benefits solutions for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois.
Well onTarget
Through Well onTarget, you’ll have access to online programs about pregnancy. These cover topics such as healthy foods, body changes, and labor.
Blue Cross Blue Shield Maternity Specialists
BCBS maternity specialists will help you by phone from early pregnancy until six weeks after delivery if your pregnancy is high-risk. To connect with a maternity specialist, call 1-888-421-7781 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. CT.
For Nursing Mothers
Dot’s Nursing Policy
Dot recognizes the importance of breastfeeding for both mother and infant, and we support any employee who chooses to express breast milk for her nursing child while back at work.
For up to one year after the child’s birth, any employee who is breastfeeding her child will be provided reasonable break times and a private space to express breast milk for her baby. The break time may run concurrently with any break time already provided to the employee. Dot offers paid reasonable break time as needed by the employee.
Reasonable break time is defined as up to 30 minutes (includes pumping, set up/clean up, and travel to/from lactation space). As-needed break time is defined as every three hours during the employee’s standard work day.
Upon return from maternity leave, the employee and manager should discuss the employee’s nursing plans and subsequent needs. If an employee needs accommodation beyond what is defined as reasonable and/or as needed amount of break time, it should be discussed during that initial meeting or as the need arises. If an employee does not feel comfortable discussing this issue with her manager, she can also contact her local HR manager to address any questions she may have regarding nursing needs, including a private space for nursing.
Breast Pumps
Through BCBSIL, you are eligible for a free breast pump and applicable accessories under the Affordable Care Act.
Contact a Health Advocate at 855.608.7623 for help selecting a pump that meets your needs.
You can order one breast pump and accessories from any Durable Medical Provider (DMP). A full list of providers in your area can be found at bcbsil.com. You can also order these materials online through your insurance. You must have a prescription for your breast pump from your doctor.
Milk Stork
Dot knows that juggling the demands of motherhood and your career can be overwhelming. The Milk Stork program compliments Dot’s Gradual Return to Work policy by allowing mothers to ship breast milk home while traveling for work. Dot does not cover costs for personal travel and the Dot portal should only be used for business travel. If using Milk Stork for personal travel, a personal email needs to be used. To learn more and order a kit, visit portal.milkstork.com/dotfoods, and use your Dot Foods or Dot Transportation email address to order.
Gradual Return To Work
To help you transition back into work, we offer a gradual return to work from maternity leave for birth mothers. For full-time employees who work 40 hours a week, this means you can work 16 hours during your first week back, 24 hours your second week, and 32 hours during your third week back—and you’ll get paid for 40 hours for all 3 weeks. Hours worked are flexible during these weeks and can be coordinated with your manager.
Dependent Enrollment
Adding Dependents to Dot Insurance and/or Life Insurance
Giving birth and adopting a child are life-changing events, meaning you can add the child to your Dot insurance. You have 30 days from the date of birth/adoption date to choose your options. To start:
- Log into Okta at dotfoods.okta.com
- Click the UKG icon
- Select Life Events from the drop down
- Click on life event record
- Follow the steps to add your family member(s) and submit
Dependent Verification
Once you’ve enrolled your new addition in the Dot Foods insurance plan, you’ll receive information regarding Dot’s dependent verification process from mydependents.com or through the mail. You will be required to verify that the new family member is a dependent. Please request a birth certificate promptly to ensure there isn’t a hold on your child’s insurance.
Childcare Costs & Dependent Care FSA
We understand that it can be expensive to pay someone to take care of your child while you work. To help with these expenses, employees are eligible to participate in a Dependent Care Spending Account Program. This program allows you to pay childcare expenses with pre-tax funds. Employees interested in this program can sign up through the benefit enrollment site following the birth or adoption of your child.
Dependent Care FSA money is available as it is taken out of your paycheck. You can request reimbursement throughout the year or in a lump sum. The maximum amount you can put into this account is $5,000 a year per family.
Adding Dependent Beneficiaries to 401(k)
To add your new addition as a beneficiary to your 401(k), you will need to log in to your Principal Financial account. To access your account, visit dotfoods.okta.com and select the Principal Financial (Retirement Plan) tile.
Using Your Health Savings Account (HSA)
If you are enrolled in Dot’s Orange or Green medical plan, make sure you’re contributing to your Health Savings Account (HSA). You can use it to pay for your medical expenses for pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum care. And once your little bundle arrives, you can use it to pay for their care as well.
Increasing Your HSA Amount
- To increase your HSA amount, visit dotfoods.com/UKG.
- Follow these work instructions to complete the increase.
Family Benefits
New Parent Assistance Through EAP
Being a new parent can bring a lot of surprises—and a ton of questions—which is why Dot provides its employees with free parenting services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
The EAP offers over-the-phone parenting consultations with professionals in childhood development, speech, language and education. Call 800-327-2251 for a parenting consultation.
Health professionals provide
- Information on discipline, sleep issues, reinforcement strategies, toilet training, and temper tantrums
- Guidance in determining if overall behavior is typical for the child’s age and environment
- Assistance identifying the potential cause(s) of behavior patterns
- Simple, positive parenting strategies
- Information on developmental milestones such as language development, motor skills, sensory perception and feeding skills
- Guidance and resources to determine when school-age children may need an IEP
- Assistance in advocating for special or gifted services for children in daycare and school settings
Paternity Resources, Leave, & Benefits
Visit the Paternity Resources page for a complete guide explaining Dot’s paternity leave and benefits.
Adoption Resources, Leave, & Benefits
Visit the Adoption Resources page for a complete guide explaining Dot’s adoption leave and benefits.