Pity the US Housefrau
I am so looking forward to maternity leave. It's like this brass ring: 12 weeks of paid leave to spend with my baby. After that, who knows? I can't imagine anything beyond those blissful (or hellacious, depending on my spawn) three months.
When I first asked my HR rep about my company's benefits, I was told that under the Family Medical Leave Act they were not required to provide me with anything. Because the company has less than 50 employees. However, they generously do offer 12 weeks paid leave. I was thrilled. That is generous.
But then I hear that in Canada, everyone is entitled to 14 months of paid maternity leave! In Sweden, the father and mother decide who gets the family's 16 months of leave at 80 percent pay. In the industrialized world of over 160 countries, the U.S. is only preferable to three - Lesotho, Papua New Guinea and Swaziland - in terms of what we offer expectant mothers. Isn't that sick?
The Family Medical Leave Act entitles women to 12 weeks of job-protected leave. Employers can decide if they want to provide workers with pay during that time, but they don't have to. Furthermore, companies with less than 50 employees don't have to comply with FMLA. When my mom had me, she just got laid off, but at least she was covered by unemployment. Clinton wanted to extend unemployment benefits to women on maternity leave, but it was overruled when W took office.
Once I heard this, I no longer felt so blessed. I mean, I'm lucky that I'm getting paid for that time, some people have to take disability leave. But 12 weeks is nothing in the life of a baby. How can I effectively plan my next move, given such a short period of time and distractions like diaper changes and episodes of Judge Judy? Is it too late to move to Canada?
When I first asked my HR rep about my company's benefits, I was told that under the Family Medical Leave Act they were not required to provide me with anything. Because the company has less than 50 employees. However, they generously do offer 12 weeks paid leave. I was thrilled. That is generous.
But then I hear that in Canada, everyone is entitled to 14 months of paid maternity leave! In Sweden, the father and mother decide who gets the family's 16 months of leave at 80 percent pay. In the industrialized world of over 160 countries, the U.S. is only preferable to three - Lesotho, Papua New Guinea and Swaziland - in terms of what we offer expectant mothers. Isn't that sick?
The Family Medical Leave Act entitles women to 12 weeks of job-protected leave. Employers can decide if they want to provide workers with pay during that time, but they don't have to. Furthermore, companies with less than 50 employees don't have to comply with FMLA. When my mom had me, she just got laid off, but at least she was covered by unemployment. Clinton wanted to extend unemployment benefits to women on maternity leave, but it was overruled when W took office.
Once I heard this, I no longer felt so blessed. I mean, I'm lucky that I'm getting paid for that time, some people have to take disability leave. But 12 weeks is nothing in the life of a baby. How can I effectively plan my next move, given such a short period of time and distractions like diaper changes and episodes of Judge Judy? Is it too late to move to Canada?
posted by j.m. at 11:47 AM
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