Help me understand how America is a nation of purported “family values” yet mothers do not get paid maternity leave. This abomination is not a partisan issue. If there is one thing unites women (and men) across party lines, it’s motherhood. We all love our children fiercely and value that time at the beginning to bond with and nurture our babies as we grope our way through those sleepless nights and zombie days. The United States is among the world’s richest nations - rich in terms of financial wealth, military muscle, world power, intellectual capital, and opportunity. It’s shameful we don’t value motherhood as much as we value wealth.
Women in America today can take up to 12 weeks leave through the Family Medical Leave Act. My husband, in fact, used the benefits of this act to take off a month when our first son was born. It was a joy for him to have that bonding time. Other women have to use sick days and disability to cover “maternity leave.” Let me be clear here, motherhood is neither a sickness nor a disability. We must not treat it as such, making the whole concept of maternity leave seem punitive.
The modern woman’s Sophie’s Choice is paycheck or baby. There are so many unsavory dynamics that go into becoming a mother in America. When I was pregnant with my first son I was laid off from my job (under sketchy circumstances), bullied by the managers in my new job about being pregnant (though I disclosed I was pregnant in my interviews), and dragged through legal ordeals about health insurance when I left the bullying company. In my second pregnancy, I was dropped from my husband’s health insurance in his new job because pregnancy was considered a pre-existing condition. I was engaged in battle before my babies were even born!
Why do we make it so difficult for people to start a family?
Remarkably, we have legions of people who fight to give more rights to unborn fetuses than to living mothers. It’s not a matter of either/or here; it is a matter of providing support to families and children and mothers. Many issues that ail society and stress out families and marriages are due to lack of support. The issues are complex and gargantuan, but in simple terms, American values, standards, and budgetary priorities do not care about women and families, for which society pays the price. Exactly what standards are we using when we puff out our chests and proclaim to be the greatest nation on earth?
To reiterate, the United States is the ONLY industrialized nation in the world to provide no paid maternity leave. This must change, regardless who sits in the Oval Office.
Image via Think Progress
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Comments 78
It used to be when you wanted something extra you got another job or if you wanted good benefits you found a job that had what you needed. My dad worked a full time job and two part time jobs so my mom could stay home with us kids. I got a part time job in addition to my full time job back in the day when our family business hit hard times. I didn't say the government owes me a living. WE USED TO WORK FOR WHAT WE WANTED.
Since when did we become so self entitled that we expect other people to pay for what we want in life or our own personal choices? This ME-ME-ME society drives me CRAZY. We were so much better off emotionally and economically when we all just took care of ourselves. We also felt better about our lives.
Besides, maintaining a relationship with your children is just, if not more, important than the initial bonding. Do you expect to govt. to continue paying you until your kids are 18 because you can't manage to connect with your children during the time you're not working.
Paid maternity leave would be great, free money??? Heck yeah! HOWEVER, i don't believe that it is owed. If you choose to get pregnant and have a baby, that is your choice and your responsibility not the company's. I suppose, if youre a single mom you want the company to pay you child support also?? The simple fact that a job is protected for 12 weeks and most receive 60% of their pay through short term disability one should be satisfied and relieved. How one budgets her money is her business and/or problem.
Ya know, it's not like the birth is a surprise where you wake up and the birth will be next week. No, you aren't owed anything, but there is such a thing as vacation (for most of us). So how about saving your vacation and using it to suppliment your income???? Nope, sorry, while I think motherhood has value beyond measure, they are two separate entities - work life and home/parent life. We all try to work to meld the two as best we can, but to EXPECT that this be a benefit, don't think so.
Hey, Stacey, I lived in poverty. My husband worked two full time jobs so that I could stay home when we had our first. We could have qualified for welfare, but chose not to make use of those programs. No WIC, welfare, food stamps, or any such thing. We barely survived. For years we lived this way. My husband would be off work for 8 hours on a REALLY good day. Usually however, it was six or fewer. I would pump milk so that he could feed our son and changes his diaper. That was all the time he had with our first for the beginning of his life. I know American style poor, but let's be honest, how many people in the US ever experience true poverty? While we were poor we had a home (however modest) electricity, running water, and a phone in our home. How many people in this nation have ever seen or experienced true poverty?
And, another thing, Stacey? Don't make up things I never said, falsely attribute them to me, demand that I answer for them and then skewer me for my non-existent response. Do try to debate honestly.
Or here's a thought, stop being nasty FloridaMom. You sit there bragging about your subject poverty, nobody is impressed. Nobody cares. Nobody here is irresponsible, you simply choose to see it that way.
It's times like this when I think what i have, the irish system works really well. You pay a minimum amount of PRSI, that covers your maternity leave. Your employer is not obligated to cover your leave, but because you've paid your taxes, you shouldn't need it. And even then, many employers would pay.I would expect nobody else to pay for my child, end of.
My other issue with paid maternity leave, particularly for long periods of time, is that women expect that their job will be exactly the same when they get back, and act horrified if their hours or position change. You chose to leave, you contributed nothing during that time, you have no right to complain.
Expecting others to pay the consequences for a choice you made is irresponsible. Pointing that out isn't nastiness, it's the truth.