What's Up With U.S. Maternity Leave?

[Teddy B 17,252]

Nope, I dont think it's a bad idea but I dont think employers need the federal government forcing another regulation

on them either.

Depending on the program I might agree with you. But for the most part employers are nothing but greedy and undercut their employees every chance they can.

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

Nope, I dont think it's a bad idea but I dont think employers need the federal government forcing another regulation

on them either.

so you think that only families who can afford to raise children on a single salary should have children?

[Merle 458]

so you think that only families who can afford to raise children on a single salary should have children?

How about making a plan along with a budget before you start having kids?

[LiliBurd 85]

But it's not forced on the employer it's deducted from the employees pay. As Not a Tailor said, in Canada we have a percentage or our paycheck deducted and we pay into Employment Insurance. And when we need it for maternity leave or anything else the government pays us. Even when we relocate to the USA for our spouse and are allowed to work but cannot find a job or don't make enough money. we can still receive our benefits for the maximum time allowed. We often complain about the amount of taxes we pay... but it's not all bad.

I'm not trying to be a foreigner that wants to ''make a big deal out of things that are different than where they came from'' It's just a different reality to think you have to send your 4 week old baby to daycare because you have to go back to work.

[Teddy B 17,252]

But it's not forced on the employer it's deducted from the employees pay. As Not a Tailor said, in Canada we have a percentage or our paycheck deducted and we pay into Employment Insurance. And when we need it for maternity leave or anything else the government pays us. Even when we relocate to the USA for our spouse and are allowed to work but cannot find a job or don't make enough money. we can still receive our benefits for the maximum time allowed. We often complain about the amount of taxes we pay... but it's not all bad.

I'm not trying to be a foreigner that wants to ''make a big deal out of things that are different than where they came from'' It's just a different reality to think you have to send your 4 week old baby to daycare because you have to go back to work.

The cost of the program may not be forced on the employer directly, but losing an employee for a prolonged period time will affect the business owner and may cost them money in production or finding and hiring someone to fill that void. Mind you, I think it's a good program if the employer is not directly financially responsible, they can find a way to work around it. Most articles I've read on this program have nothing but good things to say about the positive outcomes in allowing prolonged maternity leave.

Edited November 3, 2014 by Teddy B

[LiliBurd 85]

How about making a plan along with a budget before you start having kids?

It's not only about budgeting but also job security. When we come back after mat. leave we are guaranteed to have the same salary, hours, and benefits.

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

I would like to see more allowance for maternity leave in the US. That being said, since it's NOT the norm in general, perhaps it could be negotiated before the job is accepted, the same way salary, annual leave, and other benefits are? A man might ask for more salary, since he would never need maternity leave, but a woman might opt for less salary or perhaps a bonus in return for maternity leave.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Nope, I dont think it's a bad idea but I dont think employers need the federal government forcing another regulation

on them either.

I think when employers were able, for years, to get away with not providing their employees with any sort of affordable health insurance (for example) - that it's perfectly correct that the government steps in to ensure that working people have some rights.

You have to ask the question that if every other country in the developed world is mandating entitlement to holiday and maternity leave, why is the US not doing likewise?

[Merle 458]

You have to ask the question that if every other country in the developed world is mandating entitlement to holiday and maternity leave, why is the US not doing likewise?

From what I understand, the health and safety of state's residents is reserved to the authority of the states under the tenth amendment. Some states have made laws regarding maternity, California and the state of Washington where I live. The federal government isn't the authority for all the matters in the country. Why do you think there was such a stink over Obama care?

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

I would like to see more allowance for maternity leave in the US. That being said, since it's NOT the norm in general, perhaps it could be negotiated before the job is accepted, the same way salary, annual leave, and other benefits are? A man might ask for more salary, since he would never need maternity leave, but a woman might opt for less salary or perhaps a bonus in return for maternity leave.

except that it, in many cases, an employer sees an attempt to negotiate for potential maternity leave as a statement that the woman will pick her family over the job and simply won't hire her. In addition, asking women to take lower salaries 'just in case of maternity leave' creates a long term, enduring wage gap.

In Canada, a woman gets 17 weeks maternity /pregnancy leave with an additional 35 weeks of parental leave available. A father can take up to 37 weeks of parental leave in the first year of the baby's life.

For example. My father and stepmother decided to have another child and were blessed with identical twins. (note that suddenly having twins rather than one baby isn't something you can accurately budget for before you get pregnant). They hired a nanny with the intent of my stepmother returning to work as it is nearly impossible to find a daycare that has two spots for newborns available. The nanny turned out to be negligent (left plastic bags in the crib with the twins) and they were unwilling to leave fragile newborns with someone else after that experience. Parental leave rules allowed them to not be bankrupted by the fact that they needed to take turns using up that parental leave so that the twins had one parent or the other home with them for the first year of life.

Note also that my father and stepmother both had high paying jobs at the time they became pregnant with the twins. They weren't bringing children into the world that they would be unable to pay for. But that first year would have left their finances in shambles.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Still don't understand why it's okay for so many Americans to see America fall further and further behind her peers. Whatever happened to trying to be the best and greatest?

Edited November 3, 2014 by Mr. Big Dog

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Still don't understand why it's okay for so many Americans to see America fall further and further behind her peers. Whatever happened to trying to be the best and greatest?

Freedom?

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

Freedom?

it seems like the freedoms people want are freedoms for employers while keeping the middle and lower class so economically constrained that they have no freedom whatsoever.

[JohnR! 5,495]

People are afraid of what they don't know. They think that if you change the way things are America will crumble to pieces. On one hand they praise the might and resilience of our country, while on the other they doubt her resolve and spirit.

The irony, which seems to be lost on these people, is that they don't realize that what made America strong is the fact we have people from all over the place who came here and brought some of their ideas with him. Today, many of these immigrants, come here and don't accept that anything should change, their answer of choice being one should consider living elsewhere if one should be critical of one owns country. A few days ago a kid made that suggestion based on a comment I made. Many come here and they want to be more American than the natives. While I applaud their enthusiasm, I do recommend caution with their zealotry.

Go figure!

Still don't understand why it's okay for so many Americans to see America fall further and further behind her peers. Whatever happened to trying to be the best and greatest?

Edited November 3, 2014 by JohnR!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Freedom?

Freedom as in "nothing left to lose?" If so, we're getting there.