America's Maternity Leave Gap: Why the U.S. Lags Behind
Out of the 193 United Nations member states, only a handful lack a national paid parental leave law: New Guinea, Suriname, a few South Pacific Island nations, and the United States. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reports that the U.S. is the only developed country in the world without a national law on paid maternity leave.
This means that federal law does not guarantee employees paid time off after welcoming a child. Only some state laws and company policies offer paid maternity leave. As a result, many new parents have to return to work much sooner after the birth of a baby because they cannot afford unpaid time off.
Erica Wilson, a government contractor from Alexandria, Virginia, is one such parent. As a mother of two children, she shares her two maternity leave experiences, highlighting the challenges faced by many families in the United States.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
