Do you agree that women should get paid maternity leave?

[xanis]

I haven't read the bulk of the nine pages of this thread, but in short, I don't think so. It is a woman's choice to have a child and therefore she should not get paid for taking time off from work to foster her choice. People can argue the angle that she should if the family does not have much money but again, it comes down to the point that it was a CHOICE and if you don't have enough money to take care of a child while working, you should certainly not expect to get paid to take time off from work to take care of a child because of your bad decision.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Should the government force businesses to pay for maternity leave? No.

 

[Treyshadow]

My wife was paid 10 weeks by her company during her maternity leave. She graciously returned to work a month ago as a very happy and productive employee with a new baby. Her company isn't huge, but is very good to their employees. Oh, she is an engineer. She was with the company 3 years, and they were worried she would leave. If you understand how much it costs to replace a good employee, you would vote yes everytime on this subject. This should be part of your compensation package that "you the employee" negotiate when you come to work for the company.

I received 2 weeks paid paternity leave. I took only 1 as I amn in the middle of a project. My company is based in Europe, and is rather progressive. I appreciate that. For those that don't have kids (hell that was me 4 months ago), you will understand when you have a child. I also came back to work more productive (though with very little sleep), and much more willing to work because they understood that a family is part of life.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: alien42
if they do then men should get paternity leave that is equal

Originally posted by: JS80
paid = no
unpaid = yes
it's so stupid they get to use sick days and file for disability...such bullshvt. Since when is pregnancy a sickness or a disability? It's a life choice.

I'd imagine that it can be a bit of a burden. You know, just a bit. 😉 But I do agree that it is a life choice. I think and hope that you'd get pregnant with some idea of what it might entail.

Originally posted by: Brainonska511
I would say it should depend on whether the person was pregnant before being hired. If they were pregnant when they were hired, I would say no paid leave, if they weren't, then maybe based on the amount of time and effort that they have been/put in with the company.

This'd be ripe for abuse, especially for these people who seem to get pregnant with their next kid before the first one is even born. "Ok, the baby's out, time to stick something back in there again!" Sort of like the problems with welfare - have more kids and you get more government money.
Social programs are fine and good, in my opinion. It's the d!ckweeds that abuse the system that are the problem. You're a leech on society with no intention of letting go and becoming self sufficient - well, what do you do when you find a leech stuck to you? Pluck it off and get rid of it. (No, I do not advocate "getting rid of" welfare cheats in the sense of killing them. But they should definitely not be allowed to keep getting a free ride.)

Originally posted by: Forsythe
In denmark both men and women have maternity leave, paid. So yes i guess.
Besides, it stimulates lust to have kids, which modern countries need bedly these days.

Interesting. Denmark too is a smaller country than the US, with fewer natural resources, simply a product of the smaller size. If they can handle it, I'd imagine that the US could do the same. But then, Saudi Arabia has national health care, but we won't even do that....maybe when/if the representative government stops representing corporations that will change.

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth

Originally posted by: wfbberzerker
you can't accidentally buy a house. you CAN accidentally get pregnant. are you saying those who didn't plan on having a baby are SOL and should just get an abortion?

So what you're saying, is that you can accidentally stick your dick in a woman and move back and forth multiple times? Man, I need to have your kind of accidents more often!

Thank you, glad someone said it. If you have sex, protected or not, there is always a chance of pregnancy. We evolved to have a reproductive system that is capable of and highly motivated to getting the job done. Get your tubes tied (either partner) if you don't want the risk. Otherwise, have a contingency plan in place should "life find a way" to perpetuate itself.

 

[hysperion]

Originally posted by: Jeff7

Originally posted by: alien42
if they do then men should get paternity leave that is equal

Originally posted by: JS80
paid = no
unpaid = yes
it's so stupid they get to use sick days and file for disability...such bullshvt. Since when is pregnancy a sickness or a disability? It's a life choice.

I'd imagine that it can be a bit of a burden. You know, just a bit. 😉 But I do agree that it is a life choice. I think and hope that you'd get pregnant with some idea of what it might entail.

Originally posted by: Brainonska511
I would say it should depend on whether the person was pregnant before being hired. If they were pregnant when they were hired, I would say no paid leave, if they weren't, then maybe based on the amount of time and effort that they have been/put in with the company.

This'd be ripe for abuse, especially for these people who seem to get pregnant with their next kid before the first one is even born. "Ok, the baby's out, time to stick something back in there again!" Sort of like the problems with welfare - have more kids and you get more government money.
Social programs are fine and good, in my opinion. It's the d!ckweeds that abuse the system that are the problem. You're a leech on society with no intention of letting go and becoming self sufficient - well, what do you do when you find a leech stuck to you? Pluck it off and get rid of it. (No, I do not advocate "getting rid of" welfare cheats in the sense of killing them. But they should definitely not be allowed to keep getting a free ride.)

Originally posted by: Forsythe
In denmark both men and women have maternity leave, paid. So yes i guess.
Besides, it stimulates lust to have kids, which modern countries need bedly these days.

Interesting. Denmark too is a smaller country than the US, with fewer natural resources, simply a product of the smaller size. If they can handle it, I'd imagine that the US could do the same. But then, Saudi Arabia has national health care, but we won't even do that....maybe when/if the representative government stops representing corporations that will change.

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth

Originally posted by: wfbberzerker
you can't accidentally buy a house. you CAN accidentally get pregnant. are you saying those who didn't plan on having a baby are SOL and should just get an abortion?

So what you're saying, is that you can accidentally stick your dick in a woman and move back and forth multiple times? Man, I need to have your kind of accidents more often!

Thank you, glad someone said it. If you have sex, protected or not, there is always a chance of pregnancy. We evolved to have a reproductive system that is capable of and highly motivated to getting the job done. Get your tubes tied (either partner) if you don't want the risk. Otherwise, have a contingency plan in place should "life find a way" to perpetuate itself.

OMG if the Saudi's have National Healthcare- we should have it too!..............

Socialism and it's ideals will eventually ruin this country. And I'm referring to your ideas about national healthcare. Noone should be entitled to anything.


Getting pregnant is a choice and one that the individual who chose it should be bearing.....not the employer. However, if said employer wants to waste their money paying for a non-productive employee, who am I to tell them what they can do with their cash.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Originally posted by: LolaWiz

Originally posted by: Linflas

Originally posted by: LolaWiz

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: LolaWiz
:| this thread rivals the diamond threads.

This was an eye opener to me.

If you disagree with someone, why don't you post your reasons? 😕

because there is no point in arguing with folks on here when they think what they think will always be right.

Why argue? Post what you think and be done with it unless someone provides a counterpoint that you think needs to be responded to. The problem with so many of these threads is that some think that someone is going to be dazzled by their persuasive skills to the point where they will post "oops you were right and I was wrong" instead of just expressing their opinion and being done with it.

Simply put... as a woman who has not had any children yet... just hearing from others... the time directly after having a child is a very critical time for both mom and baby, as well as the father.

Post-partum depression is quite common and is often times hard to cope with... just returning to work right after giving birth and having to deal with the stress of a career... i cannot imagine how difficult that would be.

I guess i am trying to say that it should not be MANDATORY, however, i would rather personally take a job that offered that as an extra than one that did not.

If my husband and i were to decide to have a child, i would not want to leave them the day after i give birth. I would want that time to bond with the child, breast feed, etc. It would be nice to not have to worry about money AS MUCH during this experience.
my .02.

Good response.


I believe the same. Paid maternaty leave is just like any other benifiet offered by an employer, some employers provide great health ins., some provide not so good, some provide nothing. It should be up to the company to determine what benifiets and pay it will provide for its employees, and its up to the employee to pick the company with the benifiets package that suits them best.

If you want to go with a company that pays a little lower wage, but provides excellent medical and maternity bennies its your choice. Or if you want to go with a company that has weak bennies and no maternity but a higher wage thats your choice also.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Yes. I wouldn't mind seeing men get some paid time off for the birth of a child as well.

 

[hpkeeper]

Originally posted by: jtvang125
I'm not married nor do I have any kids so it's hard for me to feel any sympathy so I would say I'm against paid maternity leave. I mean if you want to have kids then you have to financially deal with it yourself and not expect compensation from your employer when you're not performing any work.

First off, where's the option for... "only if men get paid for Paternity leave"?

secondly... I don't dmoke, but smokers get breaks every time it slows down at the business... I'm not a smoker... it's hard for me to feel any sympathy so I would say I'm against smoke breaks... I mean if you want to smoke then you have to deal with smoke breaks yourself and not expect compensation from your employer.

 

[Remedy]

EDIT: I'lll keep my opinion to myself.

 

[classy]

I don't even see the issue with this. They should be paid and it should be stretched out a few weeks longer actually.

 

[synergyo1]

It is a known fact that women generally get paid less than men at equivalent positions. One of the many valid reasons for this is the case of maternity leave. Therefore, yes, they should be paid for maternity leave.

 

[Ramma2]

It makes having kids easier. Like it or not, women need to have children for the human race to continue.

 

[thomsbrain]

no paid leave. yes to unpaid leave up to 1 year, though, and the same for men. and i think all big corporations should offer on-site child-care for free as a benefit.

i think companies should make it easy for parents to work, but i don't think they should pay people for not working. obviously they can do what they want, but i think they'd be better off taking that money and giving it to the people who work.

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: isasir

Originally posted by: b0mbrman

Originally posted by: isasir

Originally posted by: b0mbrman

Originally posted by: isasir
Yes.

I'll change my vote to 'no' when women make the same amount as men. I feel it's fair they get paid maternity leave since there still a very real difference in salaries.

But women who decide not to have children do not get this progressive benefit?

For the past 7 years I have not used up all of my allocated sick days. I'm well aware that I lose them at the end of the year, but this doesn't motivate me to get sick on purpose.

Yes, but women have much more control over whether or not they get pregnant than you do over whether you get sick or not.

When did I say paid maternity leave motivates women to get pregnant on purpose?

Replace the word 'sick' with 'vacation' instead. Ironically, that situation applies to me as well. I just found out that I've maxed out my vacation time and I'm starting to get denied accrued vacation time. I have control over my vacation time, but just haven't been able to take it since I felt an obligation to the company due to being the only person in my dept.

When did I say you said paid maternity leave motivates women to get pregnant on purpose?

When did I say you said I said paid maternity leave motivates women to get pregnant on purpose?

And lucky you...The phrase "sick day" doesn't even exist where I work 🙁

 

[j00fek]

depends, but why shouldnt they

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: jtvang125
I'm not married nor do I have any kids so it's hard for me to feel any sympathy so I would say I'm against paid maternity leave. I mean if you want to have kids then you have to financially deal with it yourself and not expect compensation from your employer when you're not performing any work.

this attitude would change if men were the ones who bore children.

 

[alkemyst]

I don't think anyone should get anything for doing nothing. If you have paid into an insurance plan or whatever for a particular situation then profit...if not oh well.

We have too many kids as it is, paying people to stay home and have them would more than likely encourage others to take another job while collecting that. Either way children are a choice, your employer nor taxpayers owe you nothing for exercising that.

 

[blue1friday2]

I cannot believe all of you that don't agree with it. Your mother gave birth to you in case you have forgotten! In some other countries there is paternity leave, a woman's position at work is secure for up to a year, financial assistance is available. Seriously, think about it. There are female lawyers, doctors, professors, and CEOs out there who have worked their butts off to get into the position that they are in. They should get no paid leave???? You may be upset because you don't get paternity leave but that is a problem with the system, not the concept. People get paid workman's comp for "back injuries" that are faked half the time. You can't fake CHILDBIRTH!

moshquerade is 100% right. If men bore children you would think maternity leave was your right.

 

[DAGTA]

Originally posted by: blue1friday2

I cannot believe all of you that don't agree with it. Your mother gave birth to you in case you have forgotten! In some other countries there is paternity leave, a woman's position at work is secure for up to a year, financial assistance is available. Seriously, think about it. There are female lawyers, doctors, professors, and CEOs out there who have worked their butts off to get into the position that they are in. They should get no paid leave???? You may be upset because you don't get paternity leave but that is a problem with the system, not the concept. People get paid workman's comp for "back injuries" that are faked half the time. You can't fake CHILDBIRTH!

moshquerade is 100% right. If men bore children you would think maternity leave was your right.

No, I would still agree with alkemyst. People should not be paid for NOT working. If you choose to have a kid, that is a CHOICE you make and you must weigh in the consequences to your job/career.

 

[blue1friday2]

Originally posted by: DAGTA

Originally posted by: blue1friday2

I cannot believe all of you that don't agree with it. Your mother gave birth to you in case you have forgotten! In some other countries there is paternity leave, a woman's position at work is secure for up to a year, financial assistance is available. Seriously, think about it. There are female lawyers, doctors, professors, and CEOs out there who have worked their butts off to get into the position that they are in. They should get no paid leave???? You may be upset because you don't get paternity leave but that is a problem with the system, not the concept. People get paid workman's comp for "back injuries" that are faked half the time. You can't fake CHILDBIRTH!

moshquerade is 100% right. If men bore children you would think maternity leave was your right.

No, I would still agree with alkemyst. People should not be paid for NOT working. If you choose to have a kid, that is a CHOICE you make and you must weigh in the consequences to your job/career.

So then you shouldn't get anything from a job that you have been loyal to if say... you get cancer. Oh sorry you are cut off, no sick leave, no more co-pay for your insurance. Oh you broke both your legs won't be able to work for a while... too bad! You know what let's just go ahead and fire you. It's easier to hire someone else than it is to wait for your sorry a$$ to heal.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: DAGTA

Originally posted by: blue1friday2

I cannot believe all of you that don't agree with it. Your mother gave birth to you in case you have forgotten! In some other countries there is paternity leave, a woman's position at work is secure for up to a year, financial assistance is available. Seriously, think about it. There are female lawyers, doctors, professors, and CEOs out there who have worked their butts off to get into the position that they are in. They should get no paid leave???? You may be upset because you don't get paternity leave but that is a problem with the system, not the concept. People get paid workman's comp for "back injuries" that are faked half the time. You can't fake CHILDBIRTH!

moshquerade is 100% right. If men bore children you would think maternity leave was your right.

No, I would still agree with alkemyst. People should not be paid for NOT working. If you choose to have a kid, that is a CHOICE you make and you must weigh in the consequences to your job/career.

Yeah, I don't care if it's pro-men or pro-women. This whole everyone should get free money all the time is the reason we have so much debt and taxes. I recieve hardly any benefit for the taxes I pay into the system.

You choose to do something that takes you away from working, you can't be expected to be paid.

 

[blue1friday2]

I'm sorry you guys but it is a completely sexist attitude to think a woman has to choose between motherhood and a career. Father's aren't asked to choose. Come on now? Where are the fathers out there? Help me out. I can be either a stay at home mom or a careerwoman? That's my choice? I can't do both? Well thanks a lot fellas you just shot down the plans I had for the rest of my life with one stupid question.

well... I do not accept that.

Thank God my SO is sane.

 

[sniperruff]

yes they should. aren't we all made inside our mother's stomach?

 

[DAGTA]

Originally posted by: blue1friday2

Originally posted by: DAGTA

Originally posted by: blue1friday2

I cannot believe all of you that don't agree with it. Your mother gave birth to you in case you have forgotten! In some other countries there is paternity leave, a woman's position at work is secure for up to a year, financial assistance is available. Seriously, think about it. There are female lawyers, doctors, professors, and CEOs out there who have worked their butts off to get into the position that they are in. They should get no paid leave???? You may be upset because you don't get paternity leave but that is a problem with the system, not the concept. People get paid workman's comp for "back injuries" that are faked half the time. You can't fake CHILDBIRTH!

moshquerade is 100% right. If men bore children you would think maternity leave was your right.

No, I would still agree with alkemyst. People should not be paid for NOT working. If you choose to have a kid, that is a CHOICE you make and you must weigh in the consequences to your job/career.

So then you shouldn't get anything from a job that you have been loyal to if say... you get cancer. Oh sorry you are cut off, no sick leave, no more co-pay for your insurance. Oh you broke both your legs won't be able to work for a while... too bad! You know what let's just go ahead and fire you. It's easier to hire someone else than it is to wait for your sorry a$$ to heal.

So CHOOSING to have a child is the same as getting cancer or breaking both legs in an accident? Sick pay and Vacation pay is for accidents. Once those run out, that's it.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: blue1friday2
I'm sorry you guys but it is a completely sexist attitude to think a woman has to choose between motherhood and a career. Father's aren't asked to choose. Come on now? Where are the fathers out there? Help me out. I can be either a stay at home mom or a careerwoman? That's my choice? I can't do both? Well thanks a lot fellas you just shot down the plans I had for the rest of my life with one stupid question.

well... I do not accept that.

Thank God my SO is sane.

The above makes absolutely no sense. Choose to have your kid, choose not to get paid to do so.

I don't see father's getting all the time off they would like to stay home with their kids, your argument is idiotic.

Why don't we start paying people who adopt pets, or want to take that 'once-in-a-lifetime' trip, etc.