March 2013 Moms
Paid Maternity Leave Infographic
Really, really, really wishing I was Canadian right now...
Full sized picture can be found at https://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Maternity-leave-chart-1.jpg
Geeky is as Geeky Does...
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Re: Paid Maternity Leave Infographic
BFP#1 11/12/11 ~ No heartbeat 12/12/11 ~ D&C 12/19/11
BFP#2 3/25/12 ~ Heartbeat 141 4/16/12 ~ No heartbeat 4/25/12 ~ D&C 04/30/12
BFP#3 7/16/12 ~ EDD 3/26/13 ~ It's a BOY ~ DOB 2/26/13
Yes and no. Most of the highest leave countries also base those taxes on income more than the US does. When the scale is better balanced those things tend to more efficiently work themselves out. Proud to be Canadian over here! :
We pay for all of this stuff too...just out of our own pockets. Americans are very quick to point out the "higher taxes" of countries that have stronger social safety nets and more family friendly policies, but when you add up what Americans spend out of pocket for health care, child care and maternity leave (in lost wages), it's probably about equal to what our European counterparts are paying in higher taxes.
BFP#1 11/12/11 ~ No heartbeat 12/12/11 ~ D&C 12/19/11
BFP#2 3/25/12 ~ Heartbeat 141 4/16/12 ~ No heartbeat 4/25/12 ~ D&C 04/30/12
BFP#3 7/16/12 ~ EDD 3/26/13 ~ It's a BOY ~ DOB 2/26/13
I would be curious to know how "paid" a "paid maternity leave" is. I doubt anyone is getting shafted, but I wonder what the salary percentage is.
I'd be willing to pay a, for lack of a better term, f*ck of a lot more in taxes if it meant I could stay home a little while longer and not have to deal with child care for awhile.
It's a girl!
Same here! Although, I unfortunately graduated just prior to getting pregnant and was not working, so no paid mat leave for me! I'll just be livin' off DH's med student loan
In reply to PP who asked how much support some of the countries get while off...
I live in Canada and we receive 55% of our salary, up to a maximum of approx. $490/week for 52 weeks. I'm fortunate in that my employer pays the difference (the remaining 45%) for 22 weeks (called top-up benefits). So I'll be home for 22 weeks at my full salary, and then at the government paid amount for the remaining 30. My previous employer paid the difference for the entire year, which would be amazing (so you could take the full 52 weeks at 100% salary)! This isn't typical however. But even still, I can't complain with the time I'll get to spend at home with my LO!
There is a lot more discrimination against hiring woman in countries where they are getting longer paid leave because the employer has to hold their job until they return, my friends in Germany said that a woman can leave her job for up to 3 years and the employer has to hold it for her. If I were running a small business I would think twice about hiring a woman if I knew she could get pregnant and I'd have to hold her job for that long, especially in the technology industry where things are constantly changing.
Wow, way to support your fellow women and mothers.
BFP#1 11/12/11 ~ No heartbeat 12/12/11 ~ D&C 12/19/11
BFP#2 3/25/12 ~ Heartbeat 141 4/16/12 ~ No heartbeat 4/25/12 ~ D&C 04/30/12
BFP#3 7/16/12 ~ EDD 3/26/13 ~ It's a BOY ~ DOB 2/26/13
LOL - I'm not saying it's right.
Make a pregnancy ticker
This makes me feel better. I am the only income in my family and we couldn't make it on $490 a week - so I would have to go back to work regardless of where I lived.
DD#1 born 9/29/2010; DD#2 born 2/25/2013
Yeah, it's really not a ton. It's something though. My employer will top up the difference for 16 weeks, then after that the government paid amount will be it, supplemented by savings. I know that we are very fortunate in this regard.
The other thing is that you are allowed to work a small amount on mat leave. I don't know offhand what the percentage is but you can make up a portion of the difference. This can also help your workplace cope with your absence but you are still mostly home with your child
Thanks for your input, however, I wasn't referring to Canada, I was referring to friends of mine who live in Germany who mentioned that there is discrimination there because of the law requiring employers to hold their jobs for up to 3 years after giving birth. How long are employers required to hold a woman's job for her in Canada? Just curious because I didn't think it was up to 3 years. I agree with you, it isn't right to discriminate against woman but I can see how it can happen.
In Canada they have to hold your job until your mat leave is over. Basically you decide to go back or not after your year is up then everyone gets to move on from there. Pretty reasonable :
In Canada they have to hold your job until your mat leave is over. Basically you decide to go back or not after your year is up then everyone gets to move on from there. Pretty reasonable :
Me too! Sad how I feel better knowing this! But seriously, less than $500 is not going to pay for our mortgage, bills, et al. Being the breadwinner on a teacher's salary bites, but I could not do it on $500!
But...we still do need to change things stateside! I will be taking 6 wks paid but only because I have accrued ebough sick days to cover it. Lets just hope there is not sick days needed in my future post-birth!