In the February '08 issue of Cookie magazine, I found these interesting maternity rights in other parts of the world. To begin with, only three nations besides ours do not require paid maternity leave (the other three countries include Liberia, Papua New Guinea, and Swaziland), according to the McGill Institute for Health and Social Policy.
*In Iceland, either parent receives 9 months total at 80% salary (3 for Mom, 3 for Dad, and 3 to be divided as preferred).
*In Italy, Mom receives 5 months at 80% salary. Either parent can opt to receive 10 months at 30% salary.
*In Japan, either parent receives 14 weeks at 60% salary.
*In Canada, Mom receives 17-18 weeks at 55% salary. Either parent can opt to receive 35 weeks within the first year at 55% salary.
*In Sweden, either parent receives 18 weeks at 80% salary.
***For me personally, I get 8 weeks (including a freebie week for Spring Break) at 100% salary (due to all of the sick days I have saved up in my sick bank) and can opt for up to 5 years off (unpaid) and still have a promised job if I decided to return. What will I do??? Well, I'm obviously taking the 8 weeks with full pay and trying to get 3 more weeks with full pay since I have enough sick days (I currently have 60 sick days saved up in my sick bank). My goal is to combine the 11 weeks paid maternity leave with summer vacation for a full 5 months off PAID 100% of my salary!!! Then I will return next August (no taking 5 years off for me).
For any of you who think the USA should offer more maternity rights, you can go to house.gov/writerep to write your congressional representative a letter saying so.
4 comments:
yea, the maternity rights in our country suck as i found out last year while doing research myself. guess i should write that letter huh?
I read this too. It is sickening. I need to write a letter, too.
I'd like to know what you think of Cookie Mag. I'm not sure whether to renew it or not. It's a little out of my realm of reality :)
It worked out nicely that your leave will get you to summer break! :) Did you plan it that way, or did it just work out nicely that way? :)
I havent had to worry about maternity leave for myself, but it sure would be nice if Fabio could get a little time off! He has taken one (unpaid) day off when each of the children were born....
Hehe.. I'm so wanting to play devil's advocate here, but I think I'll restrain myself! :-)
That's really cool you can take all that time off. In many ways, big and small, God is blessing you with this child.
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