They also receive no paid maternity leave of any kind, and are only entitled to take 12 weeks of unpaid leave. This is actually worse than most third world countries:
Are you saying Americans don't get maternity leave? That's simply not true.
Many, many companies provide for that.....and in fact, the Family Medical Leave Act protects you from reprisal for taking this time.
__________________ I am in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection, but with Montana it is love." - John Steinbeck
You can definitely tell that there are some folks here who have deep seeded beliefs about Americans which no doubt come into play whenever they meet one. I find that sad.
__________________ I am in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection, but with Montana it is love." - John Steinbeck
Are you saying Americans don't get maternity leave? That's simply not true.
Many, many companies provide for that.....and in fact, the Family Medical Leave Act protects you from reprisal for taking this time.
Nope, here is what I said.
Quote:
They also receive no paid maternity leave of any kind, and are only entitled to take 12 weeks of unpaid leave. This is actually worse than most third world countries:
A distinction is made between paid and unpaid leave. The above may not include programs at the State level.
Here is another direct quote from the above Wikipedia article:
Quote:
Five countries in the world do not offer some form of paid parental leave - Australia, the United States, Liberia, Swaziland, and Papua New Guinea. However, most employees in Australia are entitled to at least 12 months' unpaid leave for the primary carer, and new parents are able to receive a Baby Bonus of A$5000 paid in 13 fortnightly instalments, which is roughly equivalent to the parental leave payment made to parents in New Zealand.
If you don't like Wikipedia, here is a tidy little article from USA Today:
EDIT: Here are the 5 states as of 2005 who had some sort of paid benefit, but, for example, in California's case, it is only 6 weeks:
Quote:
Five states — California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island — and Puerto Rico require employers to have temporary disability programs, which pay benefits if the pregnancy is defined as a disability by a doctor. A few others have infant care programs that pay subsidies to low-income families for up to two years.
Last edited by Jedi Ninja; 04-07-2009 at 06:29 AM.
You can definitely tell that there are some folks here who have deep seeded beliefs about Americans which no doubt come into play whenever they meet one. I find that sad.
Well I finally ventured in here and started reading and I am pleasantly surprised and not sad at all. CP, like anywhere, is going to have opinions that can be extreme but for the most part I thought the Canadians posting in here made posts that were very well thought out. Way to go CP!
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to SportsJunky For This Useful Post:
I have no problem with Americans - They are entertaining and provide me with some great laughs:
-w00b
P.S - No, I don't really think all Americans are as un-intelligent as Miss SC was that evening, I just thought this was an excellent opportunity to bring back this gem
Location: Wondering when # became hashtag and not a number sign.
Exp:
Quote:
Originally Posted by woob
I have no problem with Americans - They are entertaining and provide me with some great laughs:
-w00b
P.S - No, I don't really think all Americans are as un-intelligent as Miss SC was that evening, I just thought this was an excellent opportunity to bring back this gem
EDIT: Here are the 5 states as of 2005 who had some sort of paid benefit, but, for example, in California's case, it is only 6 weeks:
Again, all of that is covered under the Family Medical Leave Act. The words used are misleading.
I'm not saying compaines shouldn't offer straight paid maternity leave, but it is not true that mothers who give birth don't get paid for the time they have to take off. Some, sure. But if the employer is covered under the FMLA, they get paid....and without negative effects on their employment record.
Remember....I live here.....I manage people....I have experience in this exact situation.
__________________ I am in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection, but with Montana it is love." - John Steinbeck
EDIT: Here are the 5 states as of 2005 who had some sort of paid benefit, but, for example, in California's case, it is only 6 weeks:
The thing is, six weeks is simply not factual. For a standard birth with no complications, the state will pay you for six weeks after. If you have a C-section, if your baby had to stay in the hospital, if your baby was sick, you get more. Having a C-section automatically gets you 8 weeks paid. You are also entitled to four weeks before your due date (regardless of whether you deliver past your due date) and will be paid until you deliver.
Examples - my first child, I left work four weeks before my due date, but delivered ten days late. I was paid the entire time from my last day of work until delivery. Then I was paid for six weeks after.
My second child, I went in to preterm labor and was put on bedrest 10 weeks before my due date. I delivered on my due date and was paid the entire time and then six weeks after.
Employers are not forced to pay you your full salary while you're on disablity, but in order to be competitive, its usually part of a benefits package. Its just as important as the choices of medical benefits, dental, vision, life insurance. If employers want to have the best employees, they're going to have to offer sufficient benefits. I don't know anyone who ever had unpaid maternity leave. My sister-in-law had a total of 16 weeks paid, not sure if it was a mix of federal and state, but she had a lot of paid time off after my neice was born.
Again, all of that is covered under the Family Medical Leave Act. The words used are misleading.
I'm not saying compaines shouldn't offer straight paid maternity leave, but it is not true that mothers who give birth don't get paid for the time they have to take off. Some, sure. But if the employer is covered under the FMLA, they get paid....and without negative effects on their employment record.
Remember....I live here.....I manage people....I have experience in this exact situation.
Can you link to something that documents FMLA maternity benefits?
Employees can use sick leave and/or vacation time under FMLA for any covered conditions.
Again, the language was misleading.
__________________ I am in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection, but with Montana it is love." - John Steinbeck
Yah, I saw that when Googling, it links to the following document that summarizes the FMLA, which again just says "FMLA requires covered employers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave." I'm so confused!
Yah, I saw that when Googling, it links to the following document that summarizes the FMLA, which again just says "FMLA requires covered employers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave." I'm so confused!
LWOP will get you fired at most companies. This act protects people from that. What it does additionally, however, is allow you to use your allotted sick leave or vacation time for medical issues (yours or a family member's) without having to worry about losing your job.
So, anyone who works for an FMLA covered company, has paid maternity leave provided they haven't exhausted all of their company granted leave hours.
It's a great thing, but it is grossly abused.
__________________ I am in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection, but with Montana it is love." - John Steinbeck
Employees can use sick leave and/or vacation time under FMLA for any covered conditions.
Again, the language was misleading.
OK, I see what you are saying now. But in other countries, the maternity leave benefits are over and above any other leave you might have. Here, a woman can take all of her sick time and vacation time and then the 52 weeks of maternity on top of that.
OK, I see what you are saying now. But in other countries, the maternity leave benefits are over and above any other leave you might have. Here, a woman can take all of her sick time and vacation time and then the 52 weeks of maternity on top of that.
Yes, and that is great. I just didn't want people going off with the thought that most American mothers can't take paid time off for maternity leave.
I'd be all for expanding it if the plan was right for sure.
__________________ I am in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection, but with Montana it is love." - John Steinbeck
Americans are allright I suppose, just like any other group of people they've got their fair share of ignoramuses and intelligent people. What seems to be the standard thing that irks me is the "pick on Canada" stuff that's rather prevalent. It's not actual prejudice or intentionally mean spirited, but I got tired of the "Oh, you lived in Igloos?" "You don't look like a lumberjack / fur trapper / polar bear" "what are you talking ABOOT" stuff a long time ago. I guess accents and all are fun, but really, quit asking me to say house, couch, out or any of those things. And yes, I think you same them funny.
And it's my own fault from bringing it upon myself by slipping in Eh's when I'm drinking heavily.
i sometimes get annoyed by the "do you know so and so in such and such city". funny enough, i was in salt lake city for the ncaa bball tournament a couple years back and went to a mall. was talking to the cashier who asked if i new so and so in calgary and i actually did. big dilemma came up as to whether lie or tell her the truth and reinforce the thought that i knew random people in random canadian cities.
as for annoying tourists, i've met many "ugly americans" abroad but the french and germans have their fair share of ignorant tourists as well.
This thread seems pretty intense but I have to chime in. On the few occasions I've met Americans they have lived up to expectations. Loud, obnoxious etc. I know they aren't all like that but from what I've seen the stereotypes are what they are for a reason. One incident at the Maid here in Calgary and a guy from Wisconsin comes to mind. He was pure class.
