Another mommy friend, linked to this article about how the zero weeks of paid maternity in the US compares to the rest of the world.
I'm in Canada, and just hearing that you don't have paid maternity breaks my heart. But I thought I would share the info. Fingers crossed that this will change in the near future.
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/05/24/489973/paid-maternity-leave-us/?mobile=nc
GOLD / pomelo / 5737 posts
I saw this (well the chart/pic not the article) on fb a little while ago too! I really wish there was more regard for early childhood in this country... There are so many lasting effects.
eggplant / 11824 posts
Oh man, don't even get me started! Such bs. I just started maternity leave on Friday; it's terrible the hoops you have to jump through to qualify for even unpaid legal job protection - let alone any compensation. It especially burns when I hear certain political parties talk about how important fetuses/babies/families are.
apricot / 426 posts
Wow, I knew there was a big difference between Canada and the US, but I didn't realize the difference in Canada compared to so many other countries too. I feel very grateful.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
this is sadly pathetic. proud to be an American 
so jealous of you Canadians!!
kiwi / 553 posts
Yeah, isn't it lovely? I had no idea paid maternity leave existed until I came on WB/HB and saw what other countries offer!
It would be nice if my country valued the precious time it takes to gestate and raise a baby....
hostess / papaya / 10540 posts
I'm sadly one of those who didn't get a single day of paid maternity leave. I quit that job and like my current one so much more, even if it doesn't include benefits I do get maternity leave and my boss is super cool. ;p
eggplant / 11287 posts
So sad.
My boss told me if I took more than 4 weeks he would not have my job waiting for me. (The business has less than 8 employees so it has basically no restrictions when it comes to this stuff, it flies under the radar in terms of the state laws).
So, I don't have a job now. 
GOLD / kiwi / 613 posts
This is an issue that really gets me, especially because I think it will likely never change. To offer paid maternity leave, there would have to be a large priority shift in the US. I don't see it happening, especially in the political climate that dominates the national stage. Some states may drift in that direction (I think Washington has a program that will be starting up) but the majority won't.
I can legally take 12 weeks off. Four are paid, but only because I elected short term disability insurance. That is certainly better than some ladies receive.
kiwi / 525 posts
I think things like this actually show the true value of the Internet. Like Shimmer said, a lot of women would have no idea what other countries provide/legislate/demand for their citizens without neutral, non-political venues to chat to women from other countries. I'd like to hope it makes us all more informed citizens.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21628 posts
The U.S. is one of three without it. Wow! I didn't know it was that bad.
GOLD / pomelo / 5167 posts
@Mrsdaredevil: Oh no!!! That is horrible. Egh, I wish the US would have laws against that. Not only do we have 50 weeks paid, but our job is guaranteed when we go back.
Hope you find something you like soon.
GOLD / pomelo / 5167 posts
@Leialou: I know! So sad!
"Out of 178 countries worldwide, the United States is one of three that does not guarantee new mothers paid leave. The other two countries are Papua New Guinea and Swaziland."
You'd think the US being so advanced, would get with the program!!!
squash / 13199 posts
I really cant understand why our maternity leave is so crap here! It sucks
pineapple / 12793 posts
My parents have been trying to get DH and me to move back to the states, but I can't imagine giving up the maternity leave and support that we have here (Canada.) It's so nice to not have to worry about hospital costs or whether I'll have a job to return too. As a woman I feel like the country supports me in a way that I never felt back home in the states. It makes me sad to be an American.
GOLD / squash / 13464 posts
I've commented on other threads on this topic but the thing is, the US simply can not afford to put paid maternity leave into place. It's one thing to say, isn't it so terrible that we don't have paid maternity leave and every other developed nation in the world does (and it is terrible!) but it's quite another thing to actually come up with a feasible solution to the problem. This country can't pay our current financial obligations nevermind adding on a new HUGE one. This is part of why I strongly considered all benefits (including maternity leave) when choosing my job. I get 12 weeks paid maternity leave from my employer, plus any PTO I've accrued, and in the state of TN I can elect to take an additional 4 weeks (16 total) unpaid and my employer has to hold my position for me. So I'm more than happy with my options, but I recognize very few people in the US are as lucky I as am on this issue.
grapefruit / 4671 posts
I find it really hard to believe that virtually every other country in the world can afford this but not the US. That just doesn't make sense to me. Mexico and Pakistan can afford it but the US somehow can't?
GOLD / squash / 13464 posts
@plantains: There are a lot of factors in play. These other countries have had paid maternity leave in place as part of their financial plan for a long time. We would be introducing it into a budget where we already have a HUGE deficit. Not to mention, many of the countries that provide paid maternity leave are arguably in more dire a financial state than we are (Greece, Italy, Spain, Germany, France, etc) so in fact they can't really afford it.
grapefruit / 4671 posts
@MamaMoose: None of that changes the fact that women are obviously a bottom priority, and it is just a question of deciding if it is importnat enough to pay for. Current eurozone issues have nothing to do with paid maternity keave, additionally in most of those countries employers also offer paid maternity leave (employment law is on teh side o the parents) signoficantly reducing teh burden of any payments on the state. Considering the billions of dollars that we give to multinational corporations in corporate welfare, I'm pretty sure if we reprioritise we can find money to pay for maternity leave.
All the economies that are doing really well and really poorly alike at the moment offer paid maternity leave, so I really don't accept that as an excuse.
GOLD / cantaloupe / 6703 posts
@Mrsdaredevil: Mine will be the same way. My boss has already asked how long I think that I'll need off, and I told her that I just don't know. Mind you, I'm also giving birth right before our busy season starts and it'll be absolutely crazy when I come back...I don't know what to do!
eggplant / 11824 posts
@plantains: I agree with you. The US has plenty of money to pay for and/or subsidize what it considers a priority. Women are just not a priority, in healthcare or maternity care.
GOLD / squash / 13464 posts
@plantains: I don't disagree with the ideal at all. And you are absolutely correct that parents in general and women in particular are clearly not a priority here, where I believe they should be. I'm just saying I have yet to see a proposal that would be feasible to make this work.
grapefruit / 4823 posts
this really upsets me too. i hate that my having a baby is considered a 'disability' and is treated as such. having a baby isn't a disability. it frustrates me that i'm being treated the same as a few women at work who get MONTHS(aka, they conveniently get off the WHOLE summer) off for their 'disability' where as i have to take time unpaid just so i can be with my son for 12 weeks....yeah, i love america...
GOLD / pomelo / 5167 posts
@plantains: Our province/country is also in the hole when it comes to finance, yet the maternity leave option is a booming one... and won't be cut.
That being said, unless you work for a government owned company, because of our mat leave, no company pays for maternity leave, it's all goverment... BUT... since I've been working (age 16) I've been paying a deduction for this "mat leave" so ya, if I didn't have children, then I'd be paying for people to have children all my life. You can't by pass it!
grapefruit / 4056 posts
I am so so thankful for our maternity leave benefits in Canada. I don't take it for granted in the least. The freedom to stay from with my baby for the first year (even if it is at a massive pay cut since my job pays so well, I will get about 1/3 of my usual pay) is wonderful, and I wish everyone was as lucky.
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22646 posts
So sad... thankfully my company offers me 6 weeks paid leave...and i paid into disability for an additional 6 weeks. However, even that was a shock to my aunts in Korea who couldn't believe that the US otherwise doesn't have any sort of maternity leave/benefits. (Korea also has national healthcare like Canada).
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