I recognize how bad it is in so many areas, but I don’t have the experience of parental leave being non existent, which is why I’m trying to get others opinions and experiences. Like yes, it’s not mandated, and because of that it’s shorter than in countries that do mandate longer leave, but saying it’s worse than other countries is very different than saying it doesn’t exist. Unless we’re saying a lack of mandate anyway. I’d love to see it be a year-long requirement. Not even an option, else people will be pressured by being asked if they really need that much time, or veiled threats of missing out on promotions or raises because they took their time.
I’m not trying to defend the current system either, though it seems I’m being taken that way. I’m just actually curious how many people actually get absolutely no parental leave.
But it literally doesn’t exist.
This is about mandatory parental leave (as in mandatory for there to be the option for paid parental leave), because we know labour protection is necessary, because even with it, we hardly get to that level.
The Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and the United States are the only seven countries in the United Nations that do not require employers to provide paid time off for new parents.
How can you pretend your personal experience has anything to do with this? It’s like someone pointing out extremely high cancer rates linked to something in my country and I go “well I don’t have cancer so it can’t be that bad.”
No one ever says “mandatory” when discussing this though, which is why I’ve been a bit confused about the issue. Would have saved me a lot of confusion.
No one ever says “mandatory” when discussing this though
No? Or could it be that once again, you’re extrapolating from your biased personal experiences?
Why doesn’t the US have mandated paid maternity leave?
Mandatory for it to be provided.
It is mandated for the employer to give paid parental leave.
The US does not have this mandate.