Even though paid maternity leave is guaranteed in 163 countries, it is not in the United States. In fact, the US is in the same boat as Lesotho, Papua New Guinea, and Swaziland when it comes to maternity leave. Australia is the only other industrialised country that doesn't give new mothers paid maternity leave. Instead, it gives them 12 months off without pay. So, what does the US have to offer today's new moms?
Let's take a close look at the laws that govern pregnancy and maternity leave. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act is the first federal law you should know about. With this law, it is against the law for an employer to fire, not hire, or not promote a woman because she is pregnant. But it doesn't protect new parents' jobs while they're on maternity leave.
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is the second federal law you should know about. It gives millions of workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected time off for things like maternity leave or getting better from illness.
If you're lucky, your company may also offer paid short-term disability to help you during your maternity leave and while you're getting better after giving birth. Some companies have stricter rules about whether a new mom on maternity leave can get this paid benefit than others. Ask your HR person if this is something you can do.
Most of us can count on FMLA to make sure we can go back to work, but some workers can't. FMLA is only for businesses with more than 50 workers. The FMLA protects women and men who have worked for the same company for at least a year and have put in at least 1,250 hours during that year. About 40% of workers don't fit into these categories. Still more workers who should be covered by the FMLA can't take unpaid maternity leave because they can't afford it. In one survey, 78 percent of workers who needed FMLA but didn't take it because they couldn't pay for the unpaid time off said they couldn't afford it. So what does this mean for your time off during your pregnancy?
It means that you might have to end your maternity leave before you are ready to leave your baby. Start thinking about your options before you go on maternity leave to avoid this.
Job Sharing: You share your job with someone else, so you work half as many hours as you used to. This lets you spend more time with the baby and earn money at the same time.
Telecommuting: If you have a computer, a good Internet connection, and a phone, you may be able to work from home, at least while on a partial maternity leave.
Staying Home Full Time: Can you change your budget so that you can stay home, at least for a little while?
Start Your Own Business: There are a lot of ways to do this, like opening your own daycare or selling things on eBay.
To protect working moms, the US has a long way to go. Many families can't live on dad's income alone, and many of us are single moms who have no choice but to work. If you are creative and lucky, you might be able to find ways to get around the system so you can spend more time with your baby and have a longer maternity leave.
