What do you think of paid maternity leave?

[AreaCode707]

Apparently it's being considered in Australia, and I found the comments in this thread to be interesting, very different from the current prevailing view in the US. Or, at least, that's my perception. I just can't see many people in the US stating their intent to discriminate against women in their hiring (even if they did intend it.)

What's your view on paid maternity leave and where do you live?

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...-hiring-women/comments-e6frep2f-1225965947487

yes i would not employ anyone of them if i had a shop.i think it's stupid to employ them now.why do they have to pay for something they want.have a kid and stay home.my mother did and she had 9 so i'am getting sick of woman wanting this and that.

I wont employ women of child-bearing age now it is just too hard. I guess the government is trying to reduce unemployment figures, sort of going backward getting the ladies back in the home.

Pregnancy IS a total inconvenience to small business. Trying to find replacement staff, putting up with women having sickies while they are pregnant and now more paperwork. No way in the world i would employ a woman of child bearing age now

 

[ichy]

Absolutely 100% opposed to it. Want a kid? Pay for it yourself.

 

[spidey07]

I think it lowers pay for women by having federal law require it. An employer views a woman as less productive and won't work as much for the same money, so they adjust their salary accordingly. Many studies show this to be true.

If a business wants to offer it as a benefit, perk to attract employees, that's awesome. But forcing by the federal government only leads to abuse like what we have with FMLA.

 

[Possessed Freak]

I wonder if I can sue for being able to take paid vacation every few years.... equality in the workplace and all that jazz.

 

[dainthomas]

Absolutely 100% opposed to it. Want a kid? Pay for it yourself.

We want to ENCOURAGE women to have children. After all, children are the future taxpayers. Don't we want someone paying into SS when we're old and decrepit?

As a country, we definitely don't want to run into the kinds of issues that Russia, Italy, and Japan (among others) are faced with. It's hard to prosper with a birthrate below replacement level.

 

[Anarchist420]

Federally mandated maternity leave is a form of corporate welfare.

That said, I think it's ridiculous and it's bad for everyone.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Absolutely not -- it should not be mandatory for a company to pay a woman while she is on maternity leave.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

We want to ENCOURAGE women to have children. After all, children are the future taxpayers. Don't we want someone paying into SS when we're old and decrepit?

Are you saying it is a good idea to force employers to pay a women her salary while on maternity leave?

 

[highland145]

sick time + vacation time= paid maternity
Could see holding a job for 8 weeks w/o pay if the above is already used up.

I have a business to run and the decision will be based on the employees value to the company. A poor employee would get no more than listed above. A quality one could get more consideration. If the poor one thinks this isn't "fair" then they should improve their work ethics/habits/ability/productivity.

 

[matt0611]

I'm against the government forcing it, if the company wants to, thats their business.

 

[Saint Nick]

Cool, whatever.

 

[her209]

Do people have objections to the time off or for being paid while not working?

As for what's required from the FMLA: link

The FMLA entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave. Eligible employees are entitled to:

* Twelve workweeks of leave in a 12-month period for:
o the birth of a child and to care for the newborn child within one year of birth;
o the placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care and to care for the newly placed child within one year of placement;
o to care for the employee’s spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition;
o a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of his or her job;
o any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent is a covered military member on “covered active duty;” or

* Twenty-six workweeks of leave during a single 12-month period to care for a covered servicemember with a serious injury or illness who is the spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin to the employee (military caregiver leave).

 

[yllus]

We want to ENCOURAGE women to have children. After all, children are the future taxpayers. Don't we want someone paying into SS when we're old and decrepit?

As a country, we definitely don't want to run into the kinds of issues that Russia, Italy, and Japan (among others) are faced with. It's hard to prosper with a birthrate below replacement level.

Correct. It is absolutely worthwhile for nations to incentivize their citizens to reproduce.

sick time + vacation time= paid maternity
Could see holding a job for 8 weeks w/o pay if the above is already used up.

I have a business to run and the decision will be based on the employees value to the company. A poor employee would get no more than listed above. A quality one could get more consideration. If the poor one thinks this isn't "fair" then they should improve their work ethics/habits/ability/productivity.

The truth of this issue is that the a greater cause, societal harmony and the need for future citizens, the balance of what's fair is in this case tilted in favour of the individual over the corporation. If we were to be ruthlessly pragmatic, women would face an enormous disadvantage in the hiring process. It is undeniably more risky (more risk = less profit) to hire women over men because of the disruption caused by pregnancy.

I think paid maternity leave is a bit much - it sounds like a major disincentive that would prompt employers to lie and worm out of hiring women because not only may an employer be on the hook to keep a position open once maternity leave concludes, but will additionally face a fiscal penalty in making payments to the leavee.

I could see some subsidization by the government for this cause, though, which admittedly generally amounts to the same thing.

 

[piasabird]

Cant wait till they start using fertility drugs.

 

[senseamp]

Maternity is for immigrants. US citizen women should just keep working and leave the breeding to others.

 

[sactoking]

Do people have objections to the time off or for being paid while not working?

As for what's required from the FMLA:

IMO the biggest problem with FMLA is that millions of employers are not subject to it b/c of the size consideration.

Also, maternity benefits are regulated by states in addition to the feds. Some states are very maternity friendly while others are not.

 

[manimal]

I think maternity leave is great. The economic impact is small and it gives families time to spent with each other during a very special time. I wish the rest of the US did what they do in California....maternity leave for the husband..

Now when my triplets were born I took FMLA unpaid....getting payed for that time would have helped immensely..

 

[Chaotic42]

I'm against it being required, I think it should be left up to individual businesses.

 

[Matthiasa]

Well paid paternity leave would have to go along with it.
But yeah as getting pregnant is a choice(usually), not so much a good idea.

 

[jrjiri]

I'm actually surprised that Australia doesn't have maternity leave already when most European and North American countries have had it for a long time. What do the politicians get up to over there?