When I welcomed my first child, I was employed at a small physical therapy clinic, and the reality of my maternity leave was a staggering zero days. I was aware of this situation when I discovered I was pregnant, but about three months in, I decided to ask my boss whether I’d have my job waiting for me if I took 12 weeks off—albeit unpaid. Her response? Laughter. Yes, actual laughter.
Consequently, I made the decision to leave my job the moment I went into labor. This meant not only caring for my newborn but also navigating the financial challenge of relying solely on my husband’s paycheck for three months. To top it off, I had to embark on a job search. Fantastic, right? I didn’t even have the energy to face postpartum anxiety during that whirlwind, so I postponed it until my baby was nearly a year old. Sorry, hormones—you’ll just have to wait!
In the U.S., if you’re a woman working for a company with fewer than 50 employees, your maternity leave—including whether it’s paid or unpaid—is entirely at the discretion of your employer. They aren’t even obligated to guarantee that your job is safe upon your return. Because, you know, giving birth and caring for a newborn isn’t stressful enough.
The U.S. prides itself on being the best at everything, yet we lag far behind in supporting new parents. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), 178 countries guarantee paid maternity leave for working mothers, and 54 countries extend paid leave to fathers. Meanwhile, the U.S. doesn’t mandate paid maternity leave at all. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 offers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave, but only half of women qualify, and many simply can’t afford to take that time off.
Now, consider the Canadian approach. Depending on how long they’ve been employed, mothers can take up to 52 weeks of leave after childbirth, and employers are legally required to return them to their jobs. What’s more, new parents receive 15 weeks of paid leave from the government. Can you even imagine what a difference this could make during those critical early months?
Let’s indulge in a hypothetical scenario where I had access to such benefits:
- Instead of quitting my job due to uncertainty about my position, I would have approached labor with significantly less stress. Lower stress for me means lower stress for my baby.
- I could have spent 15 paid weeks bonding with my little one, establishing routines, and enjoying those precious early moments of family life.
- I wouldn’t need to search for a new job, providing a more stable environment for my entire family.
- At 12 weeks, my baby was still waking up every night. I often cried from exhaustion during my commute back to work.
- I was allowed only three 15-minute pumping breaks during a 10-hour workday, which led to a dwindling milk supply. Leaving behind scant bottles of breastmilk at daycare only deepened my guilt.
- I wouldn’t constantly worry that my fatigue was affecting my job performance.
- The financial burden of daycare wouldn’t consume nearly 80% of my paycheck, leaving me questioning whether it was worth the effort.
- Maybe I could have avoided the intense postpartum anxiety that hit me when my son turned one, simply because I would have felt happier and more at ease.
I returned to work at 12 weeks because we needed to pay the bills. Was I ready? Absolutely not. Was I sleeping? Not at all. Was I as effective at my job as before? Definitely not.
What’s going on, America?
The ILO emphasizes that effective maternity leave is crucial for the health and well-being of mothers and their babies, contributing to significant developmental goals, such as reducing child and maternal mortality rates. Keep this in mind when you head to the voting booth in November, because as the ILO notes, “Equality for women represents progress for all.” Yes, indeed.
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Summary
Maternity leave in the United States is incredibly lacking, resulting in financial and emotional stress for new mothers. Many women face the decision to return to work too soon, often without any job security or paid leave. Other countries, like Canada, offer much more supportive policies, highlighting the stark contrast in how new parents are treated in the U.S.