America & the Question of Parental Leave
http://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2011-02-24/america-question-parental-leave
They're wrenching questions every new parent must face: Should I take time off from work? How long? Will I get paid? Just 11 percent of American workers have paid family leave benefits, leaving millions to grapple with the long-term fallout of taking time off. We look at the impact of paid leave on families, and how the lack of paid leave laws in the U.S. -– and the abundance of them abroad -- affect families and careers.
Guests
Janet Walsh
Deputy Director of the Women's Rights Division at Human Rights Watch
Eileen Appelbaum
Senior Economist, Center for Economic and Policy Research
Comments
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I am actually dealing with this issue right now at work--I was shocked to find out I will not get any maternity leave benefits after being at my company over 6 years (mostly on contract basis). I really think it is embarrassing on the part of my company and the U.S. in general. Happy babies and women=more productive women in the workplace, which has been proven (there are agencies in the DC area doing this and they say their productivity has gone up among women who were provided for in this matter).
Hello,
I am a new mom currently home with my newborn on unpaid parental leave. I am using all of my sick leave and then taking several months of unpaid leave in order to care for my child. I believe there should be a national policy to mandate paid parental leave, because if families who are on welfare are given funds to support their new families (both pre and post-natally) then working parents should also be given the monetary support to stay home and care for their children.
How many of the middle aged white guys calling in to protest paid family leave understand that if they have a heart attack, they can run through the FMLA leave in three months and that once they're fired, they'll be on COBRA?
Obviously, we need to stop talking about children and instead address the selfish childish needs of middle aged men.
Question: is it possible to claim unemployment if your job sends you a termination letter, and collect unemployment money? That might be my only option for helping my family earn some money while I'm taking care of our newborn. I won't have enough sick and vacation leave built up.