Left Behind

What's Up With U.S. Maternity Leave?

The U.S. guarantees no paid leave for new mothers. How do we stack up?

The United States’ record on regulating employment practices has come under some scrutiny of late. It is the only industrialized nation that does not mandate a single day of paid vacation, leaving it to employers to offer something that has been shown to boost productivity. Iraq and Afghanistan, countries that America invaded to free from oppressive regimes and has administered to for a decade, each mandate twenty days paid leave every year, for every worker.

Another issue on our cultural radar is maternity leave. In a familiar story, the U.S. has no law guaranteeing any paid maternity leave and is the only industrialized nation to do so. For the full story, check out this video courtesy of Buzzfeed.

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