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Group blasts US for lack of paid maternity leave
Source: Agencies |
February 24, 2011, Thursday
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AMERICANS often take pride in ways their nation differs from others. But one distinction - lack of a nationwide policy of paid maternity leave - is cited in a new report as an embarrassment that could be redressed at low cost and without harm to employers.
"Despite its enthusiasm about 'family values,' the US is decades behind other countries in ensuring the well-being of working families," said Janet Walsh, deputy director of the women's rights division of Human Rights Watch. "Being an outlier is nothing to be proud of in a case like this."
NY-based Human Rights Watch focuses most of its investigations on abuses abroad. But yesterday, with release of a report by Walsh on work/family policies in the US, it took the unusual step of critiquing something affecting tens of millions of Americans.
The report, "Failing its Families," says at least 178 countries have national laws guaranteeing paid leave for new mothers, while the handful of exceptions include the US, Swaziland and Papua New Guinea. More than 50 nations, including most Western countries, also guarantee paid leave for new fathers.
Past efforts in Congress to enact a paid family leave law have floundered, drawing opposition from business lobbyists who say it would be a burden on employers.
Instead, there is the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act, which enables workers with new children or seriously ill family members to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave. By excluding companies with fewer than 50 employees, it covers only about half the work force, and many who are covered cannot afford to take unpaid leave.
"Leaving paid leave to the whim of employers means millions of workers are left out, especially low-income workers," said Walsh, citing federal estimates that only 10 percent of private-sector workers have paid family leave benefits.
With prospects for federal legislation considered dim, advocates hope for progress at the state level and are looking closely at California and New Jersey, the only states that have paid-leave programs.
Human Rights Watch said lack of paid leave has numerous harmful consequences such as postpartum depression, mothers giving up breast-feeding early and forcing some families into debt or onto welfare.
"Despite its enthusiasm about 'family values,' the US is decades behind other countries in ensuring the well-being of working families," said Janet Walsh, deputy director of the women's rights division of Human Rights Watch. "Being an outlier is nothing to be proud of in a case like this."
NY-based Human Rights Watch focuses most of its investigations on abuses abroad. But yesterday, with release of a report by Walsh on work/family policies in the US, it took the unusual step of critiquing something affecting tens of millions of Americans.
The report, "Failing its Families," says at least 178 countries have national laws guaranteeing paid leave for new mothers, while the handful of exceptions include the US, Swaziland and Papua New Guinea. More than 50 nations, including most Western countries, also guarantee paid leave for new fathers.
Past efforts in Congress to enact a paid family leave law have floundered, drawing opposition from business lobbyists who say it would be a burden on employers.
Instead, there is the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act, which enables workers with new children or seriously ill family members to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave. By excluding companies with fewer than 50 employees, it covers only about half the work force, and many who are covered cannot afford to take unpaid leave.
"Leaving paid leave to the whim of employers means millions of workers are left out, especially low-income workers," said Walsh, citing federal estimates that only 10 percent of private-sector workers have paid family leave benefits.
With prospects for federal legislation considered dim, advocates hope for progress at the state level and are looking closely at California and New Jersey, the only states that have paid-leave programs.
Human Rights Watch said lack of paid leave has numerous harmful consequences such as postpartum depression, mothers giving up breast-feeding early and forcing some families into debt or onto welfare.
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