How long is maternity leave in the US?

PeachPie · Mar 15, 2006

It must be great to have all that maternity/paternity time off in Europe, but what are the taxes like?

Gompers, BSN, RN · Mar 15, 2006

I don't know where you all work in the US, but at my hospital you don't get ANY paid leave that you haven't earned yourself. We have to use all our sick, vacation, and personal time if we want to get a check. Like right now, I have 3 weeks vactaion and 3 weeks sick time in my bank, plus about 2 weeks of holiday/personal days. So if I had a baby tomorrow, I'd have to use those 8 weeks of paid time, then after that I'd get zilch. I can stay off as long as I like up to one year...but I won't get paid for it. Plus, when I come back, I'll have zero sick and vacation time in my bank and it will be next to impossible to build it up again and be able to be off for another baby for quite awhile.

JessicRN · Mar 20, 2006

I am a nursing student in Canada and my class was discussing the recent extended maternity leave from six months to one year. We are now paid for a full year of leave. We are interested in comparing maternity leave benefits from other countries. How long is the maternity in the US?

They can have a second year unpaid leave without loss of Job.

MissJoRN, RN · Mar 20, 2006

(Wait till they here about the stipends some countries give to their breastfeeding mothers!)

US comany led family values are sad! Not only do we need to return our still post-partum condition bodies/minds to work so quickly, we have to dump our still breastfeeding babies off at daycare to do it! Very few companies in or out of healthcare have onsite daycare that's accessible for breaktime nursing.

purplemania, BSN, RN · Mar 20, 2006

the answer depends not on the state, but the actual employer. Some offer 6 weeks with no pay but will allow you to use your paid time off if you have accured any. For the most part, it is a financial burden for the new family. My son lives in Sweden and got generous time off for both himself and his wife. The Swedes tend to be very family oriented which I think is a good thing! Especially when we are talking about MY grandbabies.

MIA-RN1, RN · Mar 20, 2006

I had 8 weeks disability (C-section) I think it was at 60% my regular wage but first I had to use all my sick time, and all my vacation time. I managed 12 weeks but it wasn't all paid. Since my C-sect was planned for a Monday, I worked right up thru that Friday before. Not a happy camper at all.

rjflyn, ASN, RN · Mar 20, 2006

All fine and good, but I wonder what happens to ones skills in a years period of time. In the time of rapid tech changes going back after that much time off I for one would be lost.

Rj

PamUK · Mar 20, 2006

In the UK... this is what mothers are legally allowed to take

"Pregnant employees are entitled to 26 weeks' ordinary maternity leave, regardless of how long they have worked for their employer. Most mothers will usually qualify to be paid Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance during ordinary maternity leave. Women who have completed 26 weeks' continuous service with their employer by the beginning of the 14th week before their EWC can take additional maternity leave. Additional maternity leave starts immediately after ordinary maternity leave and continues for a further 26 weeks. Additional maternity leave is usually unpaid although a woman may have contractual rights to pay during her period of additional maternity leave."

Fathers can also take up to two weeks paid paternity leave, but they have to have been employed for a given amount of time by the company

tinyscrafts · Mar 21, 2006

in CA there is an additional thing called "bonding Time" that either parent can take off I think it was 6 wks too. ( in addition to the regular 6wks offered by most FT employers)

tlcprn2u · Mar 21, 2006

It must be great to have all that maternity/paternity time off in Europe, but what are the taxes like?

If higher taxes allow mothers or fathers to take reasonable time off with their newborn babies, provide workers with total healthcare coverage, and enable them to have a 36 hour work week as well as 4 weeks vacation per year, HOORAY for higher taxes. Last time I checked, Europeans make up most of the tourism industry! So they can live, work, and have time and funds to travel!

Multicollinearity, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2006

If higher taxes allow mothers or fathers to take reasonable time off with their newborn babies, provide workers with total healthcare coverage, and enable them to have a 36 hour work week as well as 4 weeks vacation per year, HOORAY for higher taxes. Last time I checked, Europeans make up most of the tourism industry! So they can live, work, and have time and funds to travel!

Yes, and many of those European countries provide high quality day care for children. Add to that, that there is no fee for university tuition (included in taxes) and I have to ask...which countries have better family values?