Why isn't guaranteed maternity leave a "pro-life" imperative?

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Yes, thanks for the correction, but I think you are referring to sick leave and vacation. I’m not aware they can also accrue maternity leave.
 
Theo520 said:
Yes, thanks for the correction, but I think you are referring to sick leave and vacation. I’m not aware they can also accrue maternity leave.
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No, I am referring to paid time off. There are places that give PTO to part time employees.

The Federal system is one. It is earned at a lower rate.
 
Theo520 said:
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Pup7:
We are the only developed nation without mandated paid maternity leave.
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Not really true, we do have mandated leave for many employers, just not all.
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FMLA is not paid time off. Read the law.

We are the only nation without mandated maternity leave. It’s national law around the world.

One employer in the US has Federally mandated maternity leave. I work for it. It’s the Pentagon.
 
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Regardless of whether mandatory paid maternity leave or paternity leave is a good policy or not, I can’t see it as a “pro life imperative”. Nations that have it have no fewer abortions than those that don’t
 
I agree as not directly pro life, but it’s not a bad bandwagon to hop on.
 
Don’t we have mandated leave, just not mandated PAID LEAVE at the federal level?
A few states do have the ‘paid’ requirement though, so it’s moving in that direction.

I’ll try be more cautious in assertions, or double check my facts 🙂
 
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Well, Papua New Guinea doesnt. But almost every country sees it as a priority
 
Imagine if you had an unmarried part time worker getting pregnant year after year to take 6-12 weeks off paid. And her employer could never replace her. Yikes…would be quite the expense for that employer.
 
THIS. Plus it is not easy to support a family on just the father’s wages anymore. That ship sailed a long time ago.
 
Monica83 said:
Imagine if you had an unmarried part time worker getting pregnant year after year to take 6-12 weeks off paid. And her employer could never replace her. Yikes…would be quite the expense for that employer.
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Could be even worse if they expand it to Paternity Leave. A man can father a lot more children than a woman can give birth to.
 
Canvas said:
Then how does almost every nation on earth do it? The US is one of four UN states that do not. The others include Papua New Guinea, Swaziland and i think Leosotho. I am sure each country finds a system that works.
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You are quite correct! Life is so much better in countries other than the US (with just a few exceptions.) That is why we have tens of millions of Americans illegally emigrating to other countries. I hear that the US is going to build a wall in an effort to keep people in!
 
Plus, the woman’s coworkers would have to cover her shifts which could create overtime issues if they already work fulltime.
 
I dont think many Americans realize what kind of stuff the rest of the developed world takesfor granted.
 
happypeacemaker said:
Mothers who choose life aren’t legally protected from losing their jobs. Aside from taking steps to make deliveries more affordable, shouldn’t maternity leave be an essential part of what it means to be “pro-life”? It’s like we’re all for the babies but nobody seems to care about the mother who’s carrying that baby in her belly or nine months – the family’s expected to pull themselves up by the bootstraps and if they lose their incoming for choosing life…well, too bad, so sad.
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I don’t know anyone who is pro-life and against maternity leave.

However, I do know people who question the wisdom of having it mandated at the federal level for several reasons:
  1. many people doubt the govt’s ability to create a one policy fits all that is fair to everyone
  2. some companies already give a very generous package to both mothers & fathers. A federal law might cause some companies that are going above and beyond to eventually scale back their benefit
  3. it can be difficult for small businesses to provide such a benefit if it’s an extended paid leave.
  4. in some industries and businesses, it’s not practical or possible to hire a temp to cover the time someone is on leave
  5. many believe that the States are in a much better position to set these kinds of requirements because then we can have 50 different rules experimenting and figuring out what works best.
Basically, people who are “against maternity leave” are not against maternity leave. They are against the federal govt creating a new law that has not been tested among the 50 states. A lot of people like to see the states compete against each other with these kinds of programs. It usually does a much better job of working out the kinks instead of trying to roll out a blanket policy.

NOTE: My company has a great paid policy. 8 weeks paid leave for the primary care giver (typically mom) and 4 weeks paid leave for the secondary care giver (typically dad). And I know that primary care givers can take a sabbatical of unpaid leave for X amount of time. I never looked into to because I wasn’t going to take unpaid leave. But I work for a major law firm with thousands of employees and 50 employees in my department (with approx 10 other people doing what I do). But for the month I was out, everyone had to cover for me because it wasn’t possible to hire a temp to cover my responsibilities.

There has to be a happy medium of what’s fair for the new parents and what’s fair for your fellow employees. I don’t think a blanket policy from the federal govt is going to address that.

I pray this is helpful.

God Bless
 
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It sounds like a good idea that “pro-life” incentives should be involved. That they should incorporate that feature of paid or unpaid maternity leave?
 
Theo520 said:
Don’t we have mandated leave, just not mandated PAID LEAVE at the federal level?
A few states do have the ‘paid’ requirement though, so it’s moving in that direction.

I’ll try be more cautious in assertions, or double check my facts 🙂
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No, there is mandated paid leave for Federal civilian employees. It’s why I said the Pentagon (and by association the Feds - yes, I poorly worded it). One employer has mandated paid leave - the Feds. I supervise civilians. They get paid leave, they accrue it, as long as they’re at 50% time or greater.

Federal employees can use up to twelve weeks of sick time for maternity leave, and then fall under FMLA. (Sorry - my phone locked up and didn’t add this originally.) But by law, they accrue time.

It’s a mandate. And it’s mandated for no one else. There’s no law that says you have to accrue vacation or get PTO in the US for anything.

Including giving birth - and in my opinion it’s wrong.

The US Armed Forces has 12 weeks paid maternity leave during which we draw full pay, benefits, and accrue leave (2.5 days for every 30 served, and “sick time is time served” as we say) for all women who give birth, and the fathers get two weeks of paid leave as well. Adoption of a newborn also gets paid leave.
 
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