Search Results for: blog investigating maternity leave options

Coca-Cola Offers Paid Leave for All Parents

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The United States is one of only two countries in the world that does not guarantee paid maternity leave. Fortunately, some companies are stepping in and providing what the federal government has not. Coca-Cola will offer paid leave for all parents. The United States does not provide paid family leave to its workers. There is a U.S. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) that applies to employers with 50 or more employees. FMLA offers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave during a 12-month period to care for a newborn, adopted or foster child. Coca-Cola’s paid leave policy will take … Continue reading →

Where Companies Stand on Parental Leave

Mark Zuckerberg took some time off work when his daughter was born. Every time a CEO from a well known company takes parental leave, it brings that topic back into the news cycle. There is a growing interest in allowing parents to spend time with their newborns. Where do different companies stand on that topic? Mark Zuckerberg, as you probably are aware, is the CEO of Facebook. He announced on his Facebook page that he would be taking 2 months of paternity leave when his daughter arrives. Part of his post included the following: Studies show that when working parents … Continue reading →

Paul Ryan Brings Up Paid Parental Leave

Paul Ryan recently became Speaker of the House of Representatives. One of the conditions he established as a requirement for him taking the position equates to what many might consider to be “work/life” balance. Others see it as a sign that paid parental leave is important. Paul Ryan is a Republican who represents Wisconsin. Paul Ryan ran as Vice President to Mitt Romney in the 2012 Presidential election. He is in his mid-40’s. His immediate family includes his wife, a daughter, and two sons. The children are school-age. When Paul Ryan was asked to consider becoming Speaker of the House, … Continue reading →

Unpaid Leave Restricted in Ohio

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Some people are very upset after a recent Ohio Supreme Court ruling that allows employers to reserve unpaid leave for workers who have been employed for a minimum of twelve months. The law covers pregnant women as well. This ruling follows a case in which a woman sued her employer for firing her after she gave birth and did not promptly return to work. At the time of her delivery, she had only been employed for 8 months. The nursing home where she worked had a policy in place that required employees to work for twelve months before they could … Continue reading →

Prepare for Indefinite Maternity Leave

My sister and I got on the topic of budgeting and maternity leave. When I was pregnant with my son, I planned on working part time after my maternity leave was over. I never anticipated that I would be emotionally unable to return to work. I remember sitting on the couch six weeks after my son was born, explaining to my husband between sobs while looking down at my son, that I couldn’t go back to work. We decided to make it work, and it has… sort of. I definitely wish sometimes that I would have planned for indefinite maternity … Continue reading →

Changes in Maternity Benefits for Federal Employees

Good news may be on the horizon for federal employees. Two weeks ago, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s Federal Workforce Subcommitee approved a bill that would offer federal employees four weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of an infant. This is amazing news for mothers to be employed by the federal government. The Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 provided 12 weeks of unpaid leave for many reasons, including the birth of a baby. The problem with this legislation is the leave is unpaid. The new bill would offer new mothers the security of some … Continue reading →

Teachers and Maternity Leaves

Believe it or not, teachers are people. We go to the store and shop at Wal-Mart. Most of us actually have a life outside of school. So yes teachers do have the right to get pregnant and take maternity leaves. However, for teachers, the situation is a little different than from other professions and jobs. A teacher’s maternity leave affects more than just the teacher herself. Each and every family and child that is in the class is affected. The affect is much greater in primary grade children. Some children have a very hard time adjusting to a new person. … Continue reading →

Insurer Shouldn’t have Discriminated Against Moms

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Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation (MGIC) was telling women who applied for a mortgage insurance policy that their application would be denied unless they got off of maternity leave and returned to work. Courts decided that this was discrimination against women. MGIC now has to pay some very large settlements. In May of 2010, Carly Neals applied with PNC Mortgage to refinance the mortgage loan on the home that she and her husband own. They live in Wexford, Pennsylvania. PNC determined that since Ms. Neals wanted to borrow 90% of the value of her home that she required private mortgage insurance. … Continue reading →

The Economy and Telling the Boss You’re Pregnant

Telling the boss about a pregnancy is often a stressful situation, whether the new mom is planning to stay employed after the baby is born or not. In the current economic downturn, the stakes are even higher. Companies are laying off workers in almost every sector and women may have real reasons to be worried. If layoffs are coming, women may fear telling the boss because they fear losing the job. Despite federal laws, pregnant workers continue to be seen as more expendable than their non pregnant peers. Employers may worry that the mother will leave the job after the … Continue reading →

What to do if You Face Pregnancy Discrimination

As I reported in this blog, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has reported an increase in pregnancy discrimination complaints. Many mistakenly believe this type of discrimination no longer happens with laws designed to prevent it. Unfortunately, women are still experiencing pregnancy discrimination in the work place. According to the EEOC, women in fields traditionally dominated by women and women of color are the groups most affected by the increase in complaints. The organization plans a large public awareness campaign in an attempt to reduce pregnancy discrimination. In the meantime, what should you do if you are faced with discrimination … Continue reading →