[DRB]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16907584/

The study, officially being issued Thursday, says workplace policies for families in the United States are weaker than those of all high-income countries and many middle- and low-income countries. Notably, it says the U.S. is one of only five countries out of 173 in the survey that does not guarantee some form of paid maternity leave; the others are Lesotho, Liberia, Swaziland and Papua New Guinea.

Now that's some company. I'm not even sure they work in those countries anyway...

According to the study, the U.S. fares comparatively well in some areas — such as guaranteeing significantly higher pay for overtime work and ensuring the right to work for all racial and ethnic groups, regardless of gender, age or disability.

“The U.S. has been a proud leader in adopting laws that provide for equal opportunity in the workplace, but our work/family protections are among the worst,” Heymann said. “It’s time for a change.”

My company provides paid family leave as does my wife's. Additionally, new mothers get 5 paid weeks and new fathers 3 paid weeks at my company. I know my wife's has a similar policy. I wonder how many companies provide such benefits without being required to do so?

 

[MMike]

Maternity leave in the US is a joke. 6 weeks, then off to daycare they go???? Canada: Two years.

 

[valve bouncer]

Absolute minimum should be one year.

 

[DRB]

Absolute minimum should be one year.

Paid? For any size company?

 

[MMike]

Paid? For any size company?

Our communist gov't pays you 70% of your salary for two years. We actually have paid leave for Dad too...like 10 weeks or something. AND, the two years can be split between mom and dad if they so choose.

 

[valve bouncer]

Paid? For any size company?

Obviously 12 months paid would be excessive but I can't see why 12 months leave shouldn't be the minimum. Having a baby shouldn't be a choice between your career or the child.

 

[BurlyShirley]

Obviously 12 months paid would be excessive but I can't see why 12 months leave shouldn't be the minimum. Having a baby shouldn't be a choice between your career or the child.

Totally agree with you. I hate the idea of daycare as it is, and forcing kids into it almost immediately is part of whats wrong with people in the US in my mind anyway.

 

[Westy]

Exactly why women shouldn't work anyway. But really, one of the parents needs to decide whether they want to have kids or a career. Kids aren't like puppies, something you'd like to have but don't want to alter your life for. The government or industry shouldn't have to pay for peoples personal decisions. A few months of paid leave and a good year of unpaid with health is fair.

 

[MMike]

Trouble is, many middle class folk can't afford to not have two incomes

 

[Westy]

Trouble is, many middle class folk can't afford to not have two incomes

Translated: Many middle class families can not afford to have children.

Seriously though, that is bull**** in a lot of cases, I know there are some people who have to slave away just to support the basic needs of their families. But I'd say the majority of middle class folks that need two incomes, need those two incomes to pay for the house they overspent on, the $200 cable packages, 40" TV's etc.

 

[BurlyShirley]

Translated: Many middle class families can not afford to have children.

Seriously though, that is bull**** in a lot of cases, I know there are some people who have to slave away just to support the basic needs of their families, but I'd say the majority of middle class folks that need two incomes need the two incomes to pay for the house they overspent on, the $200 cable packages, 40" TV's etc.

This is very true. You can make it on a hell of a lot less if you do without some luxuries like cable, big Tvs, name brand shoes, the car payments, the credit card bill, food that doesnt come prepared in little packets...

 

[Westy]

This is very true. You can make it on a hell of a lot less if you do without some luxuries like cable, big Tvs, name brand shoes, the car payments, the credit card bill, food that doesnt come prepared in little packets...

Growing up my mom stayed at home. We were relatively broke. Cars were old, TV was black and white, vacations consisted of going to the grandparents in NJ, I was a little jealous of all the crap my friends had but in reality life was pretty damn good if you ask me.

 

[MMike]

Slippery slope...only the rich are allowed to have kids? For the most part I agree with the practical aspect... My wife is staying home with the young 'uns. But times are different now. The single income doesn't go nearly as far as it did when we were kids.....I mean, I'm having to ride the same DH bike that I've had since 2002!!!

 

[Westy]

The single income doesn't go nearly as far as it did when we were kids..

Only becaue people think they need more things than they did back then.

 

[MMike]

Only becaue people think they need more things than they did back then.

yes and no....as a first time home buyer a year and a half ago, I'm feeling it. I make what would be pretty decent money...by the standards of housing prices 5 years ago. Salaries have not kept up...

 

[Westy]

yes and no....as a first time home buyer a year and a half ago, I'm feeling it. I make what would be pretty decent money...by the standards of housing prices 5 years ago. Salaries have not kept up...

And I am sure you are living in a real dump and would most likely be homeless if this place didn't work out. People these days just don't seem to be willing to make sacrifices to have children.

 

[MMike]

It ain't no palace. (And I'm not saying that in Brian HCM "Oh I'm not rich even though I only have to work 8 minutes a week!" kind of way).

I agree though that back in the day we didn't have cell phone bills, cable bills, internet bills etc etc etc.....

 

[$tinkle]

And I am sure you are living in a real dump and would most likely be homeless if this place didn't work out. People these days just don't seem to be willing to make sacrifices to have children.

you're letting your inner-conservative show again.

 

[Da Peach]

People these days just don't seem to be willing to make sacrifices to have children.

It's frustrating to see your standard of living grow for so long, then have it take such a huge blow.

I do have more toys than my parents did at my age. But I can't afford a house. I guess it is pretty stupid.

BTW, I kind of require home ownership as a prerequisite for producing offspring. And I don't want to put my kids in the kennel. I guess I should sell my DH bike.

 

[peter6061]

Well let's see. My parents bought their first home for about $20K in 1970. Dad worked, mom stayed home. Today smaller homes on that block are selling for upwards of $700K. Did everyone's income go up by 3500%. I know mine didn't but I still need a place to live and was happy to buy a home for much less than that. The mortgage even after a refinance still requires both my wife and I to work.

As for materity/paternity leave. We get 12 weeks FMLA. My company only guarauntees salary for the time the doctor says is required for recovery. After that, if you want to stay off, it's unpaid. So the little guy is off to day-care part-time and grandmas starting next week. What else should we do? Quit and have to sell our small house and move into an even smaller apartment losing all our equity. It's not like we live in a nice neighborhood or anything either.

I'm not complaining about any of this either. We've made our sacrifices. We don't own a plasma, and my bikes all come from employee deals I got working part time at a bike shop. I would love it if my wife or I got a better job so the other was able to stay home. I know I've offered on plenty of occassions to ba stay-at-home-dad.

 

[$tinkle]

BTW, I kind of require home ownership as a prerequisite for producing offspring.

is this b/c fiscal responsibility is an indicator of social responsibility?

I guess I should sell my DH bike.

this is madness

 

[Westy]

you're letting your inner-conservative show again.

I'm a real enigma, conservative on some issues liberal on others. It doesn't really matter I guess as the scope of government has gone way beyond what I think it should be.

I generally don't beleive in government entitlements past education for the non destitute.

 

[Da Peach]

is this b/c fiscal responsibility is an indicator of social responsibility?

Probably. I also think that a yard is an important part of growing up. So is riding a bike around without having to worry about getting hit by a bus. All this, = house

Friggin RRSPs...hoggin all my cash.

 

[SDH]

Growing up my mom stayed at home. We were relatively broke. Cars were old, TV was black and white, vacations consisted of going to the grandparents in NJ, I was a little jealous of all the crap my friends had but in reality life was pretty damn good if you ask me.

AAAMEN brother!

I lived the same way and hated it then but now I am grateful my mom raised me (and pop went to work)and not some strange 20 something at a day care. Our big night out was Mcdonald's, we had one car and walked/biked where we needed go. My mom walked with a shopping cart 1 mile to the food store and 1 mile back with four boys in tow. The payback???, I went to private schools (public schools were a war zone) recieved a good education, really understood the value of a dollar and how to work for one and deep appreciation of what my parents did for me and my brothers.

I have a few guys in my office that still live the classic lifestyle (pop works, mom stays at home)and things are tough for them but I believe the payback is worth it.

 

[Kihaji]

Trouble is, many middle class folk can't afford to not have two incomes

And no amount of paid leave will fix that.

Upping paid maternaty leave time is just a bandaid, the root of the problem is people cannot afford to live in a society where corporations see them as a cattle to be used and not people with value.

 

[fluff]

There's too many people in the world already, let's not subsidise population growth further.

 

[LordOpie]

And no amount of paid leave will fix that.

Upping paid maternaty leave time is just a bandaid, the root of the problem is people cannot afford to live in a society where corporations see them as a cattle to be used and not people with value.

how the hell can you say that when we have one of the highest qualtiies of living?

 

[$tinkle]

how the hell can you say that when we have one of the highest qualtiies of living?

word.
i'm one of these aforementioned cattle & doing better than 90% of the global population.

no one in my family has gone to sleep hungry, been deprived of medical care, & had vacations on-demand.

 

[Silver]

Kids aren't like puppies, something you'd like to have but don't want to alter your life for. /QUOTE]

Puppies shouldn't be like that either. That's why there are so many screwed up dogs in North America.