Maternity Leave and the workplace

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

Question for GC: Outside of federal and state mandates, should businesses be more obligated to do more for pregnant mothers to encourage a positive work attitude?

I believe in maternity and paternity leave. This should be part of the employment contract along with health insurance and so forth.

I don't know about "obligated," but it is wise if company's want a successful work environment. Smart companies know that happy and successful employees are GOOD employees.

[rhoyaltempest]

We are such hypocrites in this country. We pretend to be all about families but we're not. You don't have to have a child to know that a few weeks/months is not enough time to settle in with your new baby and family.

I think if we looked at maternity leave as being a family thing and not a woman thing, things might change. In Germany for example (the company I work for is based in Germany), mommies get a whole year of paid maternity leave while our female employees in the states get 12 weeks total.

[rhoyaltempest]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

I believe in maternity and paternity leave. This should be part of the employment contract along with health insurance and so forth.

I don't know about "obligated," but it is wise if company's want a successful work environment. Smart companies know that happy and successful employees are GOOD employees.

I agree. It should be all about families, not a woman thing.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by rhoyaltempest

I agree. It should be all about families, not a woman thing.

People confuse feminism and women's empowerment with everything being a "woman thing." I cringe at woman-only baby showers and prefer co-ed baby showers (they are really fun ) or some equivalent. The men help to create the babies so why do they always get a break. Rhetorical.