Managing maternity/paternity leave

by Dale Davidson

When my daughter was born, I wasn't working so 1099 "unemployment" overlapped with my paternity leave which in the end, worked out great.

However, it's probably better to plan for it if you can.

Unfortunately, as a 1099 it's a little trickier than if you worked at a company that gave you a 2-4 months off and a guarantee you'll have a job when you get back.

There are a few issues that make this tricky for 1099s:

  • You won't be getting paid for the time you take off
  • The prime still needs to keep the your position filled to support the client. Extended leave puts them in a bind.
  • If you're the mother, you're going to need at least 3 months before you're feeling normal again (likely a year)
  • If you're the father, you'll want to take at least 3 months but if not, you'll be sleep deprived and ineffective in a full time capacity

To deal with these issues, here are some ideas you can implement:

  • Save 3-4 months of expenses for your leave. Ideally you'd start as soon as you're within a few years of thinking of having a baby.
  • Or if you're able to, save enough money to take a year off and spend the second half of that year finding a new project
  • Plan to leave the project entirely, but tap your network to see if there are any projects that you can start near the end of your leave. This will require you to consistently engage with your network BEFORE you have the kiddo
  • Plan ahead with your prime and client. See if they have any flexibility. Perhaps the prime can backfill you for a few months
  • If you're up for it (most likely the father here), see if you can take a month off and then come back part time for a few months
  • If your position allows for remote work, see how far you can stretch it
  • Find a firm fixed price project that pays you for deliverables and not just bill hours

As a solo 1099, you have to plan for everything your employer would traditionally plan and budget for you.

The autonomy of being able to take as much vacation as you want is exciting. Planning to self-fund your parental leave is less fun.

But overall it feels good to take charge of your life and not be subject to some random corporate policy. You can tailor your business around your needs, and not the average of a company's employees' needs.

Want the full playbook? Check out Going 1099.

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