Yahoo!, Twitter, Facebook and every possible media outlet have been aflutter with praise and criticism since newly appointed Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer announced to Fortune magazine that she is pregnant and taking a “few weeks” of maternity leave and will be “working throughout it”.  Though this may be heartening for Yahoo! investors, the typical employer is reminded that its employees are not Mayer and are not likely to follow in her footsteps.  Rather, employers must remember that there are federal and state laws that require employers to provide protected leave for many of their employees.  Here are five important reminders:

Reminder #1:  “Leaves” require a return to work.

The term “leave” is a bit misleading, as the key is “protected” leave, which is the right to take a leave of absence and  return to his or her job.  Protected leave also means that during the leave, no work is to be done or requested of the employee.

Reminder #2:  Leaves may be doubled or tripled for multiple births. 

In Massachusetts, a full-time, female employee who has worked at least three (3) consecutive months as a full-time employee or has completed the “initial probationary period set by … Keep reading