Welcome to Pregnancy Guide
Maternity Shopping Article
. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for further reading, click here.
You may also listen to this article by using the following controls.
The Basics About Maternity Leave
from:The United States is the only industrialized country besides Australia that doesn’t provide paid maternity leave for new mothers nationally.
According to a Harvard University study of 168 nations, 163 had some form of paid maternity leave. This means that the United States in the company of Lesotho, Papua New Guinea and Swaziland when it comes to providing paid leave for pregnant women.
No one really knows why this is the case, although some professors and experts claim that the difference in European and American feminist movement goals could have contributed to the lack of paid maternity leave for mothers in the United States.
In Europe the early feminists emphasized special treatment for mothers, including maternity leave. American early feminists downplayed motherhood, wanted equal rights for women, and no special treatment.
There has been some effort put into introducing paid maternity leave in the United States. The Clinton administration wanted to let states use unemployment fund to supply paid maternity leaves. But opposition from business groups resulted in this plan being shot down by the Bush administration. Businesses argued that they’d have to increase their contributions to state unemployment funds.
In 2004 California introduced a family leave (meaning either paternity or maternity leave) with around 50 percent pay for six weeks. The money came from a fund paid into by employees, not employers.
Currently there are five states – California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island – that have temporary disability programs that require employers to pay benefits if the pregnancy is defined as a disability by a doctor.
Almost every state allows a woman to have unpaid maternity leave. You’ll qualify for unpaid leave if you:
Work for the federal government, a state or local government, or any company that has 50 or more employees working within 75 miles of your workplace
Have worked for your employer for at least 12 months and for at least 1,250 hours during the previous year (an average of 25 hours per week for 50 weeks).
Employers are not required to keep your job open for you when you return if you’re in the highest-paid 10 percent of wage earners in your company and if your employer can show that your absence would cause substantial economic harm to the organization.
Unpaid maternity leave can be used in any way you want during your pregnancy and up to a year after your child is born. This means you can take it all at once or spread it out over your child’s first year by reducing your normal weekly or daily work schedule, if your employer agrees.
Federal guidelines require you to request leave at least 30 days before you plan to take it. But it’s a good idea to let your boss know you’re pregnant well before that.
Maternity Shopping News
Desination Maternity sales slip on site closings - Philadelphia Business Journal
Maternity-wear retailer Destination Maternity Corp. said Thursday that its sales last month dropped by 9 percent. Sales at the company (NASDAQ:DEST), which was formerly known as Mothers Work, totaled $45.6 million, down from $50.3 million a year ...
Read more...Kevin Youkilis and missus in a family way? - Boston Herald
T he buzz on the stork wire is that Red Sox [ team stats ] slugger Kevin Youkilis [ stats ] and new bride Enza are expecting a little Youk this year. Yesterday, the newlyweds were cagey about their offseason project during a couple of charity ...
Read more...Holiday sales not so bright - Philadelphia Inquirer
NEW YORK - Dismal holiday sales figures were reported yesterday by the nation's major retail chains - and even Wal-Mart, which had been a bright spot during the recession, buckled as the economy deteriorated. The season was the worst in at least 39 ...
Read more...Zeeland recruiting businesses to downtown - Holland Sentinel
Larry Fragoules wasn’t necessarily looking to expand his business, but the owner of Harbor Toy Co. in South Haven got an offer he couldn’t refuse. Fragoules, who owns a water softening business in addition to the toy store, was recruited to open ...
Read more...Your weekly planner - Bucyrus Telegraph Forum
Narcotics Anonymous -- 5 p.m., open discussion, First Presbyterian Church, 125 S. Poplar St. Parking available off Rensselaer Street. Enter through north door. Recovery, fellowship and coffee. All addicts welcome; court slips signed. For details ...
Read more...