The author earned paid family leave as a freelancer.
Courtesy of Danielle Elliot
In 2024, I made the potentially absurd decision to become a single mom without a full-time job.I didn't know how I'd handle the first few months without paid maternity leave or a partner. I briefly debated moving to Germany, where I've heard the parental leave is incredible.Ultimately, staying in New York worked out better, and I was able to obtain paid maternity leave.I thought I didn't have paid family leave as a freelancerI'm a freelance writer and producer. I've pieced together project-based work for about 20 years. Between projects, I often sublet my New York apartment and travel.That freedom is a huge benefit — and it's the only benefit. Even when I worked 40 hours a week as an editor at CBS News and later at Yahoo Sports, I was an hourly employee without paid vacation, 401(k) matches, or any other benefits often associated with jobs in the US.Then, at 37, I decided to have a baby on my own. I looked for a full-time job but never landed one. I had a slight financial cushion: I'd always made the maximum contributions to my Roth IRA and HSA, and, later, a solo 401(k); starting in my late 20s, I'd invested everything else into index funds, and, a decade later, I had a decent amount invested. But I didn't want to spend down my savings. I'd need those to actually raise a child.I picked up an extra gig to cover IVF. Then, around the time I got pregnant, three unexpected offers came in. I said yes to everything. It was chaotic, especially while pregnant, but in eight months, I earned almost twice as much money as I typically make in a good year. I felt like I'd created my own maternity leave fund.
