<prompt> Human: Clearly not the best behavior and likely a burned bridge but outside of that are there consequences? Do people that take this leave ever agree to come back for x amount of time beforehand? Is this something companies requestrequire?  <response>: Paid maternity leave isnt federally mandated. If the paid part is something your employer voluntarily offers, they may have placed restrictions on it, such as you need to return to work for X amount of time. Theoretically if you violated that agreement by not returning to work for X amount of time, they impose whatever penalties are outlined in that agreement, such as recouping what they paid you. 