What do you US working mothers think about...?

Question

Maternity leave - why is there such a sharp contrast in the USA?
1. USA - time varies; no set time. Could be as little as 4 weeks, and as long as 18 weeks for most workers. No protection otherwise, and salary not guaranteed. FMLA does not cover all employees due to the way the law is written.

2. Canada - general maternity leave of 12 months (may be more) paid at 80%.

3. Sweden - 16 months, usually...82%.

4. Australia... 52 weeks, may not have paid leave, but time off, depending on employer.

And other countries are way ahead.
How does this make you feel?

Yes, they also give family leave to the men in most cases.

lump58...I don't know what America you have been living in, but we do NOT have the best health care in the world. Maybe you should rephrase that and clarify if you meant the best doctors and scientists in the world, then I'd agree with you. As far as health care as a system, it is very poor.

Answer 1

I think it sucks. I got eight weeks with only 65% of my salary covered. I'm feeling Sweden and Canada's regulations.

Answer 2

i feel good because i had a nice employer that did cover me just fine. even gave me an extra month off when my grandson was born so i could help my daughter. paid in full. just need the right job. granted i did work there forever.

what is the population of these countries compared to the U.S.?

we do get help through our taxes with child care. i always got a lot of money back each year.

how can a small company let a person off for a year and not replace them? what do they do with the replacement when the worker comes back and wants their job? large companies and the governments (local, state and fed) can hire temporary employees but some companies can't afford this.

i think most people in America think we have it pretty good. we don't stand in lines for hours to see a dentist. we have the best health care in the world.

why do so many want to live here? must be pretty nice. i would never trade it.

Answer 3

In the US you are only covered by FMLA if you have been employed for 12 months. There are not many companies that actually PAY maternity leave. If you have vacation and sick time built up you can use that

Answer 4

I think 12 months is a long time to not work - I'd go mad! That being said, I support guaranteed salary, but for a shorter time, maybe 4-6 months.

Answer 5

I stopped working so that I could be home with my children and not worry about what would happen if I didn't come into work. I realize that other countries are more liberal with their maternity leaves, but here in US we used to encourage women to stay home and let man go back to work.

Answer 6

if the USA started giving out the same generous benefits Canada and Europe gives to pregnant mothers, American women would spit even more babies out than they do now.

The USA has the highest birth rate out of all the rich nations in the world.

So just imagine how many kids women would have in the USA then if they already have so many now.

Answer 7

I seems like a special time given for females, which is wrong in a way. What about a man raising his kids alone, can he get paternity leave?

Answer 8

I dont work. to me, my family and child come first. i cant expect the government to regulate my employer to be fair about me having a right to bond and provide for my child.

So i dont work, but i dont have to, iam lucky, i married before i got pregnant and we intend to stay together.

But if it had to, it would piss the hell out of me, and i would look for lines of work where i could be home, or home more often.

Answer 9

Shortchanged by our own government. Geez, they can put so much money towards lies, war and destruction, but they cant invest in the well-being of the families of their nation? It's very sad, and it makes me ashamed of my country. One of many reasons, actually.

Answer 10

what are the TAX RATES of each country...make up your mind, have a kid or have a career...or move to one of those "welfare states"