The U.S. has received criticism for its inadequate maternity leave policies for new mothers. Currently, the country ranks in the bottom 5 out of approximately 168 nations in terms of financial compensation and time off.
In a recent article, Washington Post columnist Amy Joyce discussed how certain companies, mainly large and influential ones, are implementing written policies and systems to support women returning to work after having a child. Companies such as Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte, Ernst and Young, Goldman Sachs, and PricewaterhouseCoopers are providing unique support and accommodations to women in this situation. PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte offer women up to five years of unpaid leave without health benefits, with PricewaterhouseCoopers also covering training and certifications and providing mentorship and invitations to company events. Deloitte allows women to stay engaged with work while on leave to maintain their skills. These programs are relatively small in scale.
While these initiatives are commendable, they address only part of the problem. The bigger issue lies in providing financially compensated extended leaves. Companies that have made significant profits should make an effort to give back to their employees. In Canada, for example, some companies top up female employees’ salaries to 100% during the first 5-20 weeks of maternity leave – now that’s a perk!
It is important for someone in the U.S. to step up and revise the maternity leave policy soon. It is unfair for parents to have to return to work so quickly and place their newborns in daycare right after birth.
