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Announcements Apr 3, 2026 at 3:29 AM

Why doesn't USA have a law to have empolyers give paid maternity leave?

Posted by Resident_Kick_7573



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OkWorker9679 Apr 3, 2026 +22
Many conservatives (especially the powerful ones) want women to stay home with their children, so they make it as difficult as possible. Also, maternity leave would be expensive. This is something I’m super passionate about. I’ve known women who have gone back to week when their baby was just FOUR WEEKS OLD!
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mushroomrainshower Apr 3, 2026 +8
My mom was 2 weeks post partum. My state recently passed a law that ensures that I got 18 weeks and my husband got 12 with both our children. Edited it was 18 weeks. But I had 2 weeks of extended medical leave because I couldn't work the last two weeks of my pregnancy. So I was off work for 20 weeks.
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OkWorker9679 Apr 3, 2026 +3
You were only two weeks old?!?! That makes me so angry! I’m glad you got more time with your children. My husband’s company gave him 18 weeks and it was wonderful (I stay home with our child).
3
mushroomrainshower Apr 3, 2026 +1
It was wrong. My grandma cared for me full time while my parents worked. My mother and my grandmother are angels. But yeah. I was 2 weeks old when I started spending 9+ hours a day away from my mom.
1
-PMYourTastefulNudes Apr 3, 2026 +11
Corporations having to pay employees for no work? Get out now!
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Dowew Apr 3, 2026 +7
Simply put maternity leave was an employment benefit resulting from both the labour movement and the feminist movement. The United States has spent decades crushing the labour movement and the feminist movement.
7
wickedtwig Apr 3, 2026 +1
It’s almost as if politicians are making laws that benefit corporations…I wonder why that could be. Consider me perplexed
1
mushroomrainshower Apr 3, 2026 +2
My state does! 18 weeks for birthing parent, 12 weeks for other parent. Its awesome. WA State Paid Medical Leave. Its fantastic. It includes job protection. You can also take it to care for family, medical issues, care for children when family is deployed, etc. Its one of the most robust safety nets in the US.
2
Silly-Resist8306 Apr 3, 2026 +4
Despite the cynical Listnook echo chamber, one American philosophy since its inception has been to pay employees more and tax them less to allow individuals to determine how they want to spend or invest their money. Until recently, this system has worked well. A global economy has worked against this approach making some features less viable.
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Writhing_Writing Apr 3, 2026 +3
Citizens United. Thats why.
3
ancientdragonlady Apr 3, 2026 +1
In Canada, we have paid maternity leave. I don't understand how the health industry works but if Canada can give people free health care and maternity leave, why can't the USA?
1
Humble-Usual7038 Apr 3, 2026 -1
Its not free
-1
ancientdragonlady Apr 3, 2026 -1
I live here and for the most part it's free for citizens. No fees for going to the hospital or seeing a doctor. You have to pay for medication if on any. I had breast cancer and thankfully, all the hospital visits, procedures, scans and operations were covered.
-1
Humble-Usual7038 Apr 3, 2026 +1
I live here and in no way is it free. We pay twice cash much tax as the US. You are not covered for everything- at all. I pay fir all my prescriptions. If I want crappy extra coverage- for me alone its $150/ month. And it's still not all covered. You're lucky you got fast great care for your cancer. Because most dont. Canada is lowest on the G7 countries for cancer care. Well with maid now- they'll just hide those stats.  1. Last in G7 for Drug Access: Canada ranks last among G7 countries for patient access to new, innovative medicines, with patients waiting up to two years or longer for public coverage of Health Canada-approved drugs 2. Slowest Drug Reimbursement: In Canada, it takes an average of 2.5 years for new prescription drugs to go from regulatory approval to public reimbursement, a slower process than in any other G7 country. 3. Only G7 Country Without Proton Beam Therapy: Canada is the only G7 nation that does not have a domestic clinical proton beam therapy facility, forcing patients to travel to the United States for this specialized radiation treatment. The United States is generally considered the global leader in cancer treatment due to its pioneering research, high-ranking institutions like MD Anderson and Memorial Sloan Kettering, and rapid access to innovative therapies like CAR T-cell and immunotherapy. Germany, Japan, and South Korea are also top destinations for precision medicine, advanced robotic surgery, and high survival rates.  Canada is 3rd world.  But the most Expensive healthcare
1
Oldlazyfuck Apr 3, 2026 +1
Republicans 
1
BMoreGirly Apr 3, 2026 +1
Capitalism. Middle class workers in the US get paid substantially more than in other countries for the same labor, are taxed less, but have to pay for higher education and higher healthcare costs.
1
MrWhiskers55 Apr 3, 2026 +1
Because the US is more akin to a federation than a single country. States have a lot of power over wage laws/protections. A lot of people like to talk about the minimum wage but most states have their own laws on that. So it really depends on the state to have their own laws. Federal law is basically a guide point.
1
rollover90 Apr 3, 2026
Sounds like some sort of commie ploy
0
Right_Barracuda6850 Apr 3, 2026
Because the US actually hates mothers specifically. They do like printing birth certificates, but just not any of the human beings involved. Because it’s not about saving babies. It’s all about control and those big profits only going to the select few.
0
Winged_Aviator Apr 3, 2026
Because the US healthcare system doesn't care about the patients
0
Occasionally_Sober1 Apr 3, 2026
Why only empolyers? What about emsingulars?
0
tinap3056 Apr 3, 2026
Your body your choice. Why should corporations or government pay for your personal decision to have a child?
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WardenWolf Apr 3, 2026
I have witnessed the system be abused. Not 2 weeks after being hired she went on maternity leave and didn't come back at the end, meaning she did about 2 weeks of actual work and got several months worth of pay for no work. The law doesn't allow hiring discrimination for pregnant women, and you want it to require that as well? The reason we can't have nice things is because there's plenty of shitty people willing to steal benefits then just mooch off them.
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DrForestForestDoctor Apr 3, 2026 -2
It’s not profitable.
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