mothers are entitled to 12 weeks of maternity leave in the us.
mothers are entitled to 12 weeks of maternity leave in the us.
how much maternity leave are mothers entitled to in the us?
12 weeks
the united states maternity leave policy is distinct for its relative scarcity of benefits in comparison to other industrialized countries. thus, the legislation imposes relatively few restrictions on american firms and instead underscores employer discretion in the shaping of maternity leave policy. these firms are thus free to offer maternity leave policies on terms that are more aligned with corporate interests.  this united states policy differs greatly from most other western countries in terms of maternity leave provision. these stark maternity leave differentials are demonstrated in both the policy's length and compensation. in terms of the length of protected maternity leave, the united states currently ranks 20th out of the 21 highest-income countries. the united states is one of three countries, along with oman and papua new guinea, that does not offer paid maternity leave. countries that offer paid maternity leave include mexico (12 weeks), united kingdom (40 weeks), india (26 weeks), chile (24 weeks), canada (up to 18 months), and china (14 weeks). although the united states does not guarantee paid maternity leave, employers may provide paid leave if they choose. there are three states in the united states that do provide paid maternity leave and they are california, new jersey, and rhode island. the united states maternity leave policy is unique for its limited benefits when compared to other industrialized countries. thus, the legislation imposes relatively few restrictions on american firms and instead underscores employer discretion in the shaping of maternity leave policy. these firms are thus free to offer maternity leave policies on terms that are more aligned with corporate interests.[9] this united states policy differs greatly from most other western countries in terms of maternity leave provision.
maternity leave in the united states
despite some localized employees' access to maternity leave, there was growing pressure for national maternity leave legislation in the early 1990s. many new mothers continued to be excluded from such maternity leave provisions despite growing national demand. women now enjoyed greater employment opportunities and changing gender norms that encouraged increased labor involvement. this increased female employment extended to mothers as well who now were now more likely to engage in the workforce even if they had a young child. the labor participation rate of mothers with children under the age of 1 rose from 31% in 1976 to 54% in 1992. the contribution of women's earnings to her family income rose from 26.6% in 1970 to 36% in 2008. in spite of a high labor force participation rate, only an estimated 40% of working women had access to explicit maternity leave protection. this inadequate national coverage provoked intense protest and growing national consensus on the value of maternity leave. ultimately, the increased salience and galvanized national support prompted the 1993 enactment of the family and medical leave act mandating maternity leave.
maternity leave in the united states