# Maternity Pay



## Wiltshireman

Maternity Pay

I was having a discussion with a co-worker in the canteen about how far into her pregnancy she was going to work / when she was going to start her maternity leave. We have a couple of engineers over from the US at the moment and one of them told us that his wife’s employer (in Ohio) does not pay maternity pay but they can take unpaid leave.

Is this right or did I get the wrong end of the stick does it vary by state or by employer. What is it like in other countries.

FYI in the UK its 10 months for the wife and two weeks for the husband (unless the wife goes back early in which she can transfer some to her husband). I know that ladies get full pay for only part of that and that the rest is paid at a lower flat rate.


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## larry.gray

There are no legal requirements in the US to provide maternity leave. Employers are required to let people take "medical" leave for themselves or to take care of an immediate family member. This is part of the FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act). It only applies to companies of 50 or more employees. Some states extend it to smaller employers. It only requires that the position is held for the employee.

Some employers offer paid leave. Mine gives 1 week to both mothers and fathers.


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## LonelyinLove

Wiltshireman said:


> Maternity Pay
> 
> 
> FYI in the UK its 10 months for the wife and two weeks for the husband (unless the wife goes back early in which she can transfer some to her husband). I know that ladies get full pay for only part of that and that the rest is paid at a lower flat rate.


How is that funded?


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## Mavash.

I took 3 months maternity leave but it was unpaid. We had less than 50 employees but they let me do it anyway.


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## Giro flee

I was the bread earner when we had our first child. I took my two weeks of vacation, one week unpaid, then I had to get back to work. I believe you can take up to six weeks unpaid disability time after a baby where there were no complications.


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## ScarletBegonias

Pay for a lifestyle decision like pregnancy? I would also like to know who pays for that.


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## PBear

In Canada, it's one year of parental leave (father or mother) I believe. It's funded by the same agency (and at the same rates/rules) as employment insurance. 

C
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## john117

ScarletBegonias said:


> Pay for a lifestyle decision like pregnancy? I would also like to know who pays for that.


Plenty of insurance companies in the USA pay for lifestyle decision related claims like tennis elbow...


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## mablenc

Short term disability insurance will pay 4 weeks for child birth and 6 if you had a c-section. Normally it's 70 or 60% of your pay.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Wiltshireman

LonelyinLove said:


> How is that funded?


Just like our universal pensions, free healthcare for all and disability benefit amongst other things it is paid for via the National Insurance (NI) contributions that all workers (with a few exceptions for the very low paid) and employers pay into.

For ladies the first 6 weeks is full pay and then it drops to about £125 pw ($190) but some employers will make up the shortfall. For Guys its starts at the lower rate but again some employers do more (mine made it up to full pay for the two weeks I have had with the last two kids). 

The pay for dads is a relatively new (about 10 years I think) thing and it did mean that I did not have to use my annual leave to be there for my family.


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## ScarletBegonias

I can't say I'd be ok having my hard earned money given to someone just bc they wanted to have a child and have paid leave.It doesn't seem very fair to those who can't have children or choose to not have children.
It's bad enough that parents here get tax breaks and child credits for their choices but the people who can't have kids or aren't in a financial position to have kids get penalized by receiving no credits or breaks.


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## *LittleDeer*

ScarletBegonias said:


> I can't say I'd be ok having my hard earned money given to someone just bc they wanted to have a child and have paid leave.It doesn't seem very fair to those who can't have children or choose to not have children.
> It's bad enough that parents here get tax breaks and child credits for their choices but the people who can't have kids or aren't in a financial position to have kids get penalized by receiving no credits or breaks.


If no one has children how will your country function? Who will pay taxes in the future? Who will fund the economy? 

Having new generations benefits a country, it's important. 

Women having children, is a normal natural part of life, parents should be supported, it's better for babies that they have time to bond with parents.

In my coun try its funded by the government, and it works well. However we have a more socialised system where we don't just care about ourselves we care about our society as a collective.


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## LonelyinLove

*LittleDeer* said:


> If no one has children how will your country function? Who will pay taxes in the future? Who will fund the economy?
> 
> Having new generations benefits a country, it's important.
> 
> Women having children, is a normal natural part of life, parents should be supported, it's better for babies that they have time to bond with parents.
> 
> In my coun try its funded by the government, and it works well. However we have a more socialised system where we don't just care about ourselves we care about our society as a collective.


Funding by any government is money that was taken from it's taxpayers.

What I earn, I want to keep.

I have children....4 of them. My H and I planned, saved, and didn't expect other people to kick in a dime to support what we wanted.

I'm an American...we have an overload of freeloaders and folks with an entitlement mentality. 

You want it....you pay for it. Period.


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## ScarletBegonias

*LittleDeer* said:


> If no one has children how will your country function? Who will pay taxes in the future? Who will fund the economy?
> 
> Having new generations benefits a country, it's important.
> 
> Women having children, is a normal natural part of life, parents should be supported, it's better for babies that they have time to bond with parents.
> 
> In my coun try its funded by the government, and it works well. However we have a more socialised system where we don't just care about ourselves we care about our society as a collective.


People take advantage of the system here in a huge way. Maybe they're more honest in your country. Just bc I don't think it's fair to penalize those who can't have children or aren't in the financial position to have children while rewarding those who can doesn't mean I'm selfish. it doesn't mean others who feel the same are selfish. 
I think people who expect handouts for their choices are extremely selfish. People who think they're doing society a favor by having a bunch of children are selfish. They aren't doing any favors right now.


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## ScarletBegonias

LonelyinLove said:


> Funding by any government is money that was taken from it's taxpayers.
> 
> What I earn, I want to keep.
> 
> I have children....4 of them. My H and I planned, saved, and didn't expect other people to kick in a dime to support what we wanted.
> 
> I'm an American...we have an overload of freeloaders and folks with an entitlement mentality.
> 
> You want it....you pay for it. Period.


:iagree: Thank you.Exactly.


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## john117

Unless one pays 100% out of pocket for everything, and takes no advantage of tax laws regarding their situation, everyone uses other people's money in some shape or form.

My friend who sent five kids to Catholic school for "free" as long as he was making the requisite "donation" to the church... Me with two kids in public schools, anyone.

There are lots more people with 3-4 or more children in the USA than in Europe; a few months paid leave for one or two kids is one thing, but make it 4-5 and it gets to be an employer issue.. Different social dynamics.


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## ScarletBegonias

john117 said:


> Unless one pays 100% out of pocket for everything, and takes no advantage of tax laws regarding their situation, everyone uses other people's money in some shape or form.
> 
> My friend who sent five kids to Catholic school for "free" as long as he was making the requisite "donation" to the church... Me with two kids in public schools, anyone.
> 
> There are lots more people with 3-4 or more children in the USA than in Europe; a few months paid leave for one or two kids is one thing, but make it 4-5 and it gets to be an employer issue.. Different social dynamics.


Having other people use my money bc they need help isn't my issue at all.I realize we all share things to a certain extent.I'm glad people who TRULY need it can use medicare and other government funded programs.Again,those who TRULY need it.
Funding maternity leave out of already stretched paychecks would do nothing more than limit benefits for people on other government programs that have no other options but to be on those programs.


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## ScarletBegonias

john117 said:


> There are lots more people with 3-4 or more children in the USA than in Europe; a few months paid leave for one or two kids is one thing, but make it 4-5 and it gets to be an employer issue.. Different social dynamics.


yes,I think a lot of people forget this fact that Americans like to have a ton of kids even if they can't exactly afford it.Some can but many just pop them out without a care in the world bc the American people will always be there to pay the bill.


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## john117

Perhaps we could adopt some limits of earned maternity leave i.e. a waiting period of 1-2 years on the job and every time mat leave paid is used require a period of another 2 years and limit to 2. Besides cost of quality child care in the USA results in the problem being self correcting 

What companies don't want is for someone to get a nice college degree (at everyone's expense), get a job, work for a year or two, one kid, a year later another, then quit to be SAHM. In essence be paid to have children. Way too many of my friends did just that... 

Also keep in mind that there are lots more working moms in the USA than in Western Europe so subsidies and goodies are not to our scale. Our Europe division in Germany and Sweden has far fewer women scientists and engineers than we do in the USA or India...


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## golfergirl

I'm sure people aren't popping out kids for the maternity leave and paltry tax benefits. I don't want my tax money going to chronically unemployed or career welfare either, but it does. I have never heard anyone here begrudge family having time to bond with their children and in Canada you get a year maternity. No it isn't full wage, it is same length and rate if you were unemployed. It really bugs me when people make a conscious decision to not have children (if physically unable - there is adoption) and complain about the tax breaks parents get. It's not even a p!ss in the bucket. Did you go to school? Tax payers had to pay for you too.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## golfergirl

LonelyinLove said:


> Funding by any government is money that was taken from it's taxpayers.
> 
> What I earn, I want to keep.
> 
> I have children....4 of them. My H and I planned, saved, and didn't expect other people to kick in a dime to support what we wanted.
> 
> I'm an American...we have an overload of freeloaders and folks with an entitlement mentality.
> 
> You want it....you pay for it. Period.


So you don't take advantage of the tax breaks afforded to you? You hold your hand up and say, 'no thanks!'? You send your children to private school and fund their education totally put of pocket? Actually even private schools get government funding. You must home school then. Whether through tax breaks for education, unemployment, tax incentives on student loans, mortgages etc, everyone is in receipt of tax breaks and I doubt anyone says no to them. Do you stay home? If so your husband gets tax break for having dependent. Do you pay day care? Well where I live, you get a break on that too. People can't pick or choose the group that applies to them to support with tax dollars. If that's how you want to live - might want to consider a communist country for your residence.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## that_girl

It's based on your job and if you pay into disability.

My school district (I'm a teacher) doesn't pay into disability. So...I had to use allllll my sick days (10) then go into 1/2 pay for the rest of the six weeks. Then I elected to do another 6 weeks of no pay (FMLA). With winter break (which was also unpaid) and unpaid spring break, I was off for almost 6 months but OMG it was brutal financially.

Luckily, we had saved money but the last 2 months were tight.

Then the district messed up my pay and I didn't get a normal check for another 3 months. Yea. lollll It was crazy times.


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## that_girl

At this point in my life, I would have no problem taking a handout once in a while. I've been paying into it for 22 years. So...whatever.


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## golfergirl

that_girl said:


> At this point in my life, I would have no problem taking a handout once in a while. I've been paying into it for 22 years. So...whatever.


I think you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who wouldn't take advantage of the financial breaks they are entitled to. To pick on one specific group, especially family is extremely is ridiculous. We may not all ever be unemployed or on welfare, but at one time or another, we were all part of a family whether as the parent or the child.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## LonelyinLove

golfergirl said:


> So you don't take advantage of the tax breaks afforded to you? You hold your hand up and say, 'no thanks!'? You send your children to private school and fund their education totally put of pocket? Actually even private schools get government funding. You must home school then. Whether through tax breaks for education, unemployment, tax incentives on student loans, mortgages etc, everyone is in receipt of tax breaks and I doubt anyone says no to them. Do you stay home? If so your husband gets tax break for having dependent. Do you pay day care? Well where I live, you get a break on that too. People can't pick or choose the group that applies to them to support with tax dollars. If that's how you want to live - might want to consider a communist country for your residence.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Our children attend private school, yet, as land owners we support the low ranked public school system...so we pay both. 

Our two oldest attended college which we also paid for so they have no student loans.

My husband and I both have careers and we worked hard to achieve success.

For that hard work, we also help pay for the Section 8 housing on the other side of town, food-stamps, Medicaid, Obamaphones, and the public school free food program.

At what point does personal responsibility come into to play?

I have no problem funding police, fire, roads, etc....but I'm sick to death of paying for a lowlife baby-momma with 5 kids and not a baby-daddy in sight...among other things...


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## Wiltshireman

LonelyinLove said:


> At what point does personal responsibility come into to play?
> 
> I have no problem funding police, fire, roads, etc....but I'm sick to death of paying for a lowlife baby-momma with 5 kids and not a baby-daddy in sight...among other things...



I do think I understand how you feel.

I am all in favor of there being a “safety net” to catch those members of society who fall and need a “hand up” but when it becomes a “comfortable mattress” on which people lay expecting the next “hand out” it does make me angry.

I think most reasonable people would agree that there does need to be a balance but were the balance point is situated is a matter for debate.


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## golfergirl

LonelyinLove said:


> Our children attend private school, yet, as land owners we support the low ranked public school system...so we pay both.
> 
> Our two oldest attended college which we also paid for so they have no student loans.
> 
> My husband and I both have careers and we worked hard to achieve success.
> 
> For that hard work, we also help pay for the Section 8 housing on the other side of town, food-stamps, Medicaid, Obamaphones, and the public school free food program.
> 
> At what point does personal responsibility come into to play?
> 
> I have no problem funding police, fire, roads, etc....but I'm sick to death of paying for a lowlife baby-momma with 5 kids and not a baby-daddy in sight...among other things...


I'm not talking about baby making welfare machines, I'm talking two people paying into employment insurance for years taking advantage of their contributions to allow paid leave to bond with their infant. We're talking apples and oranges.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## committed4ever

Wow I am SHOCKED at the attitude of people toward a company paying maternity leave. Just shocked. I guess everyone would rather all the benefits go to alcholic and other substance abusers, overweight people suffering from various illness because they have no discipline, counseling for adults who had fVcked up childhood because THEIR parent had no quality of life, people with STD's because of unprotected sex, out of control people sent to anger management classes, employer provided counseling because of the selfish a-holes out here that inflice emotional pain and turmoil on their spouses. God forbid any of it go toward bulding strong family life by granting a mere 6 week out of the thousand and thousand of hours that a person have work and paid taxes and sky high insurance premium in order to fund all the self-inflicted health problems of their co-workers.

Just wow.


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## LonelyinLove

I just fine with it as long as the Company wants to offer it and no tax dollars fund it.


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## committed4ever

LonelyinLove said:


> I just fine with it as long as the Company wants to offer it and no tax dollars fund it.


Maybe I missing something here. How can tax dollar fund maternity leave in the U.S.? The fed government do not get maternity leave I know for a fact. So how are tax dollar involve?


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## COGypsy

Unless the company is also going to provide additional pay to the people that have to cover the person's workload while they're on maternity leave, I think FMLA is more than sufficient. People can use their vacation and sick leave; take unpaid leave or tap into their short term disability benefits to cover their leave. Otherwise it's a preferential bonus that only certain employees will ever qualify for.


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## Anonymous07

mablenc said:


> Short term disability insurance will pay 4 weeks for child birth and 6 if you had a c-section. Normally it's 70 or 60% of your pay.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


It's actually 6 weeks for a vaginal delivery and 8 weeks for c-section. 

I took the 6 weeks off after having my son and got the short-term disability pay in order to help pay our bills. My maternity leave from work was not paid. I've been working and paying into the system for a long time, so I don't feel bad about taking that std pay in order to be home with my son and recover from child birth.


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