Here's a quick quiz:
Which are the four countries in the world that do not provide paid maternity leave, according to Moms Rising?*
Answer: Papua New Guinea, Swaziland, Liberia, and the United States of America.
Wonder what it looks like in our peer developing countries? Here's what Moms Rising reports that families are guaranteed in our neighbor to the north:
Canada gives the birth mother fifteen weeks of partial paid leave for physical recovery, and then also gives another thirty-five weeks of partial paid parental leave that has to be taken before the child turns one. These thirty-five weeks of parental leave can be taken by the mother or the father, or can be shared between the two. The pay during the fifty weeks total of leave related to a new child is 55 percent of the average gross salary over the past twenty-six calendar weeks. All in all, there are fifty weeks of partially paid leave available for new Canadian parents to spend with their child.
Sounds pretty good from here, right? But Canadians are probably envious of France, which provides three years of paid parental leave with guaranteed job protection, or Sweden, which provides 16 months of paid parental leave which must be shared by the baby's father. Swedish families are also legally entitled to work reduced hours until a child turns eight.
I felt sick to my stomach recently when a friend here in Massachusetts told me of a co-worker who went back to work at three weeks because she couldn't afford to miss work. I frequently meet mothers who have to return at six weeks. Obviously, this is unhealthy for both mother and child, but it is reality for many working mothers.
I was one of the extremely fortunate employees who got paid maternity leave from my employer, and the following year my former state (California) passed landmark legislation requiring 50% compensation for six weeks. It's a far cry from Canada or Europe, but it showed that it's possible to enact policy that recognizes the needs of families.
In this election year, we have an opportunity push this issue onto the candidates' agendas.
So, sign this petition sponsored by Moms Rising to let your representatives know that this issue is important to American families. It includes a nice statement about the relationship of between paid family leave and breastfeeding - a right guaranteed in workplaces in 107 countries. Can you guess who doesn't?
* Data from a Harvard University/McGill University study of 173 countries. Australia guarantees one year of unpaid leave, and is currently debating a paid maternity leave policy.
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