The US is still the only developed country that doesn’t guarantee paid maternity leave

[newthinking]

The US is still the only developed country that doesn’t guarantee paid maternity leave

The US supreme court is hearing a pregnancy discrimination case that could have far-reaching effects for American women who work through their pregnancies

Jessica Valenti: Why doesn’t the US do more to help pregnant women?

Link to interactive: http://interactive.guim.co.uk/embed/2014/12/2014-12-maternity-leave/

The US supreme court on Wednesday is hearing the case of 42-year-old Peggy Young, who sued her employer, UPS, for pregnancy discrimination. Young claims the shipping company refused to accommodate her pregnancy by giving her a temporary assignment to avoid lifting heavy packages.

But as the case unfolds, the US continues to shirk an even more basic pregnancy accommodation: maternity leave.

The US is the only developed country that doesn’t guarantee paid maternity or parental leave to workers. It’s an often-cited statistic, but one which should continue to shock us.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/dec/03/-sp-america-only-developed-country-paid-maternity-leave

[Socal31]

1. My state has maternal and paternal.

[newthinking]

2. Is it paid?

Most countries consider it essential to the welfare of children.

We know a lot about "attachment syndrome" in this country (in regards to adoption), but we never think through what it does to children under a year to leave them every day in a strangers home. And we wonder why our society is having more and more (anti) social problems?

[area51]

3. This isn't surprising,

given that we're also the only industrialized country whose citizens don't have a right to health care.