America’s Disgrace:A Look at Family Leave in the US

The Spotlight: The US is the only advanced economy that doesn’t mandate paid family leave. It’s certainly a hot topic, with everyone from the President to Silicon Valley weighing in. What will it take for us to join the rest of the world in supporting new parents?

The US is the ONLY industrialized country in the WORLD with 0 federally mandated paid parental leave.

Source: Vox

69% of countries offer up to 26 weeks of paid leave - and nearly 20% of countries offer more than 1 year.

US
Tonga
Papua New Guinea
& 6 others
Argentina
Botswana
Afghanistan
Vanuatu
& 79 others
Brazil
Niger
Bangladesh
Switzerland
New Zealand
& 47 others
Canada
Gambia
Iran
France
UK
& 13 others
Cuba
Azerbaijan
Japan
Tajikistan
Slovenia
Germany
Sweden
& 27 others

Source: NPR

Some US workers are covered by the Family Medical Leave Act, which gives workers up to 12 weeks of UNPAID leave per year to care for family members.

Source: NPR

But nearly 40% of American workers don’t even qualify for FMLA, because they either haven’t been at their job long enough or their company is too small.

Source: Vox

No wonder a recent study found that 25% of working mothers in the US go back to work within two weeks of childbirth.

Source: Vox

And 43% of women with children leave work voluntarily at some point in their career.

Source: TechRepublic

Luckily, some Silicon Valley companies are stepping up to take care of their employees.

COMPANY PAID MATERNITY LEAVE
Adobe logo 26 weeks
Amazon logo up to 20 weeks
Apple logo up to 18 weeks
Facebook logo 16 weeks
Google logo 18 weeks
Microsoft logo 12-20 weeks
Netflix logo Unlimited
Twitter logo 20 weeks
Yahoo logo 16 weeks

Source: Time

And it’s working… the rate at which new moms left Google fell by 50% after the company increased paid maternity leave from 12 to 18 weeks.

Source: Vox

If only state legislature followed Silicon Valley’s lead: only 8% of states have paid leave laws.

Source: Tech Republic

Which is a shame, since 91% of businesses in California reported positive or no impact on profitability after the state implemented paid maternity leave. America, it’s time to #LeadonLeave.

Source: Tech Republic