WRT personal leave – I left that out because it’s not as common as sick and vacation time. Doctor’s appointments would certainly fall under sick time. Staying home with sick kids is sick time. That’s how it works for government employees (Jeff, anyway).
For my part, I don’t particularly care who exactly would pay this leave, be it the government, or the companies. I put companies into the post, but I could have just as easily said the government. I would actually expect it to be some combination, perhaps based on models from, oh, pretty much any other industrialized country in the world?
As for maternity leave, we have one of the absolute WORST maternity leave and parental support systems in the world, and certainly the worst among any first world nation. Even with the Family and Medical Leave Act, that time that companies are required to give to parents is completely and totally unpaid, unless the parent has vacation time and/or disability leave. Even then, small businesses and companies that fall under any number of any loopholes don’t have to give any leave, and can even refuse to give a mother her job back if she takes leave.
The “parents have a choice” meme is thrown out there so often, but it is thin and virtually invalid. Yep, people can choose whether or not to have a child. However, many parents cannot afford to take unpaid time off of work to provide adequate care for their newborns. (And much as some people would like to suggest otherwise, reproduction is not a privilege reserved only for those with enough money.) Six weeks, though it’s so common in this country, does not cut it. The 8 weeks that I took did not cut it. I know I’m opening a can of worms here (but that particular “parents have a choice” meme angers me); I’ve heard way too much from the childfree community about all of these supposed “special benefits” that parents get. Early maternal employment has an impact on child health and well-being. Child health and well-being is a public health issue.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
regna
(no subject)
Date: 2009-05-01 02:07 pm (UTC)For my part, I don’t particularly care who exactly would pay this leave, be it the government, or the companies. I put companies into the post, but I could have just as easily said the government. I would actually expect it to be some combination, perhaps based on models from, oh, pretty much any other industrialized country in the world?
As for maternity leave, we have one of the absolute WORST maternity leave and parental support systems in the world, and certainly the worst among any first world nation. Even with the Family and Medical Leave Act, that time that companies are required to give to parents is completely and totally unpaid, unless the parent has vacation time and/or disability leave. Even then, small businesses and companies that fall under any number of any loopholes don’t have to give any leave, and can even refuse to give a mother her job back if she takes leave.
The “parents have a choice” meme is thrown out there so often, but it is thin and virtually invalid. Yep, people can choose whether or not to have a child. However, many parents cannot afford to take unpaid time off of work to provide adequate care for their newborns. (And much as some people would like to suggest otherwise, reproduction is not a privilege reserved only for those with enough money.) Six weeks, though it’s so common in this country, does not cut it. The 8 weeks that I took did not cut it. I know I’m opening a can of worms here (but that particular “parents have a choice” meme angers me); I’ve heard way too much from the childfree community about all of these supposed “special benefits” that parents get. Early maternal employment has an impact on child health and well-being. Child health and well-being is a public health issue.