Maternity Leave Around the World

Cecilbear · December 2013

Thought you ladies might find this interesting!

The Penalty that Working Moms Pay Begins Right here: 'When 118 countries are ahead of us on this, you know we've got work to do. And it's not just moms — we dads could use some paid time off with the new arrival as well.'

https://www.upworthy.com/for-a-country-that-pretends-to-care-about-kids-we-sure-do-suck-at-it

Edited because, post-coffee, I realized this thread wasn't very interesting without the graphic

Cecilbear · December 2013

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LittleLady77 · December 2013

This topic makes me irrationally mad (and I have great maternity coverage).

Rogue237 · December 2013

I was about to say - I read the title and thought "Spoiler alert - everyone's is better than the US" lol. Ridiculous.

Cecilbear · December 2013

LittleLady77, it makes me very angry as well! I have three months unpaid leave and have to pick up my insurance payments.

katieharpiceland · December 2013

With all the shit taxes I put up with, I am so happy for the services they provide. Especially healthcare and maternity + paternity leave.

Twirple · December 2013

It is so sad how far behind we are. I am lucky in that I have short term disability that pays 60% of my salary for 12 weeks. DH has a ridiculous amount of PTO and can get some paid out, so he is planning on doing that to cover what STD doesn't pay.

I do have to save up my PTO to cover my benefits while I'm out of work.

My last job I didn't have any paid maternity leave. I had 6 weeks of PTO saved up and I used that and then took an additional 2 weeks unpaid.

BeckyF82 · December 2013

I genuinely don't know how all you Americans do it. It's disgraceful that you get treated like this. As a teacher in the UK I get better benefits than most here. I get 1 month full pay, a further 5 months half pay, and, then if I wanted it, a further 6 months on Standard Maternity Pay which is about £160 a week. Me and my hubby cant afford for me to go down to "just" SMP as i earn more than him so i am going back after 6 months and he is going to stay home. Even if I wasn't a teacher I would still have the right to a full 12 months off on Standard Maternity Pay. Plus here in the UK your job is totally guaranteed whilst you are off so they can't fire you or move you or change your role in any way. And they can't fire you when they find out you're pregnant either because you can sue the ass off them for sex discrimination. Considering the US is supposed to be a leading world country it seems incredible to me that they treat you like this!

rockstarlaw · December 2013

I just found out my short term disability will only pay me 4 weeks (2 @ 100% and 2 @ 60%) after a two week waiting period (so I get to use PTO to get paid for that). Needless to say, I am less than thrilled - but grateful that I have anything.

I was mistaken that I thought my short term disability (obviously, they are all different) would cover 60% through FMLA leave, but then realized under STD a vaginal birth without complications is only approved for 6 wks (including the 2 wk waiting period) and a C-section is 8 wks. Definitely disappointing to learn anything past 6 wks was uncovered unless I take additional PTO.

nicole mackenzie · December 2013

I get 10 weeks unpaid and I have to pay my full premium for health insurance. I'll get short term disability which will help and I can use All my PTO to pay towards paying for my health coverage.

I do want to return to work but not with a 10 week old baby

amhah09 · December 2013

Correct me if I'm wrong, but other countries get better maternity care and leave because of the taxes they pay year-round (a la Canada), no? Because Americans are all about "no don't raise my taxes for the greater good" and that's (partly) why it costs us an arm and a leg to get an education or get decent maternity benefits.

amhah09 · December 2013

dani+california said:

amhah09 said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but other countries get better maternity care and leave because of the taxes they pay year-round (a la Canada), no? Because Americans are all about "no don't raise my taxes for the greater good" and that's (partly) why it costs us an arm and a leg to get an education or get decent maternity benefits.
We do pay higher taxes but not as much more as you'd think. Also, most full-time employers will subsidize your pay beyond what the government gives you (55% of your pay in Ontario.) My employer tops up my salary to 100% for a full year. Yes please!

I remember a Canadian friend breaking it down for me once and while I didn't remember the statistics I did remember being shocked by how much she paid in taxes.

MissWhis · December 2013

AprilMay9 said:
UO. I think we are lacking in paid leave. However I do not think it is fair or feasible to provide for much more than a couple months. Having kids is a choice as is being a working mom or sahm.

That's one way to look at it. Another way is that by having robust maternity leave, you don't force people to make that choice. Hard-working women who can contribute to the work force (and therefore the economy) can continue to participate. What's one year of paid leave compared to the course of a lifetime of continuing to work after that? And yes, many women take extra time off and go back, but it's not always that easy.

I think saying motherhood is a choice is a crap, lazy argument.

BeckyF82 · December 2013

No clue about how much tax US citizens pay but I know in the UK I seem to pay a LOT of tax. AND National Insurance.

chirico3 · December 2013

BeckyF82 said:

I genuinely don't know how all you Americans do it. It's disgraceful that you get treated like this. As a teacher in the UK I get better benefits than most here. I get 1 month full pay, a further 5 months half pay, and, then if I wanted it, a further 6 months on Standard Maternity Pay which is about £160 a week. Me and my hubby cant afford for me to go down to "just" SMP as i earn more than him so i am going back after 6 months and he is going to stay home. Even if I wasn't a teacher I would still have the right to a full 12 months off on Standard Maternity Pay. Plus here in the UK your job is totally guaranteed whilst you are off so they can't fire you or move you or change your role in any way. And they can't fire you when they find out you're pregnant either because you can sue the ass off them for sex discrimination. Considering the US is supposed to be a leading world country it seems incredible to me that they treat you like this!

I agree- I really admire american moms. In Italy we have 5 months leave at 80% of our salary (2months before and 3 after birth, or 1+4). And if it is a risky pregnancy, before the maternity leave a woman can stay home at full pay for the whole pregnancy. After the 5 months, I could take time off for 30% of my pay until the baby is 3 years old. If I wanted, I could take even 1 day off or 1 week when needed, for 30% of salary. Can't really complain.
Dads, on the other hand, get up to 3 days off, which is a bit ridiculous IMO

katieharpiceland · December 2013

I think paternity leave is JUST as important. And if father's get leave as well, there's none of this "women shouldn't work" crap that runs rampant in the states. Its important for them to have time together! (DH gets 3 months in Iceland.)

BeckyF82 · December 2013

In the UK, supposedly they are starting the scheme that as from 2015, parents will be able to share the 12 month leave on £160 a week between them however they see fit. So the mum could take 6 months and then the dad could take over for the next 6 months. I think it would stop businesses seeing women of a certain age as a "liability" in case they decide to have kids and go on maternity leave. It would ultimately lead to a lessening in the gender divide in the work place as both genders would be equally likely to take time off to look after their kids.

avidkeo · December 2013

In New Zealand I get 14 weeks Paid Parental Leave - to a maximum of $490 pw (before tax) (My income is about $750 pw after tax) but I have a clause in my contract that my employer will top up the PPL to my regular income for the 14 weeks. After that I am entitled to 38 weeks unpaid leave (total leave of 52 weeks) where they have to keep my job open.

Because DH is unemployed I will only be taking the 14 weeks PPL - but I can also use my annual leave (full pay for 4 weeks - 20 days - per year). I have saved most of my annual leave to use for maternity leave.

this is all legislated entitlements.

our tax system is a pay-as-you-earn tiered tax system that also includes an accident cover - all our medical care is free unless you decide to go private. Currently I'm being taxed around 25% ish

BeckyF82 · December 2013

pro

LalaMama81 said:

MissWhis said:

AprilMay9 said:
UO. I think we are lacking in paid leave. However I do not think it is fair or feasible to provide for much more than a couple months. Having kids is a choice as is being a working mom or sahm.
That's one way to look at it. Another way is that by having robust maternity leave, you don't force people to make that choice. Hard-working women who can contribute to the work force (and therefore the economy) can continue to participate. What's one year of paid leave compared to the course of a lifetime of continuing to work after that? And yes, many women take extra time off and go back, but it's not always that easy.

I think saying motherhood is a choice is a crap, lazy argument.

I agree w/ this. If I had had more than 12 weeks off, I likely wouldn't have resigned when DD1 was 9 months old. If I had closer to a year w/ some kind of pay and job guarantee? There is a good chance I might not be a SAHM.

This. Plus it would mean more employment opportunities for people covering women's jobs whilst they are on extended leave. I hate when people say that if you can't afford to stay at home with your kids you shouldn't have them at all and there shouldn't really be any financial help for parents. That would inevitably lead to a massive class divide where only the very rich would be able to afford to have children and we would suffer a massive drop in the population in several years. I dont know anyone who can afford to just give up their jobs for good and be SAHM or SAHD with no support at all financially. Some people need to realise that we need women to have babies if we actually want our civilisation / species to continue. If we continue to punish families for having children we are going to have some serious problems!

katieharpiceland · December 2013

It also, as I mentioned, is an epidemic that this is a motherhood "problem" in America. In so many things, not just leave, its time for America to actually acknowledge that men take part in making a baby as well. I don't get how they can continually ignore that fact and continue to punish women for our ability to carry babies.

Stace0616 · December 2013

As someone who is both over 25 years of age AND has a college degree, I can't tell you how many times I've cried myself to sleep over being in that 50% NOT covered by FMLA (or even my state, for that matter). My work is highly specialized and I had to earn multiple professional licenses to keep my job, but as I've been told repeatedly: finance is not the field for a working mom. Which I think is bullshit. I bring a lot to the table, and I don't think 12 weeks of maternity leave is asking too much, not do I think working part-time should be impossible.

As it is, I am completely at the mercy of my employers over whether or not I'll even get to KEEP my job, let alone get a full 12 unpaid weeks. I can't qualify for unemployment if I am "physically unable to work" aka on bedrest and my employer doesn't offer STD. Because of how much my husband earns, we could only qualify for assistance if we weren't married, but health insurance on top of our other bills would mean no food on the table. Having a baby in the U.S. is a punishment to working mothers.

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