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Should uniform maternity policies be implemented in American Society?

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Overall an analysis through an economic, social, and medical lens uniform maternity policies in the United States should be implemented. Currently, unpaid maternity leave hurt’s women’s careers, discriminates against them in the office, and doesn’t account for potential health impacts on the woman and her baby.

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Unpaid maternity leave hurt’s new mother’s careers.

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Women are often discriminated against in the office due to maternity leave.

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Current maternity leave doesn’t account for potential health impacts on the mother and her baby.

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“The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides certain employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year.”

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“Employees are eligible for leave if they have worked for their employer at least 12 months, at least 1,250 hours over the past 12 months, and work at a location where the company employs 50 or more employees within 75 miles.”

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Why Paid Maternity Leave Is a Win-Win for Employers 

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Why Paid Maternity Leave Is a Win-Win for Employers 

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“Short-term disability insurance offers coverage for all or part of a worker's salary for a certain number of weeks due to certain medical needs that restrict the individual's ability to work. Pregnancy and giving birth are both considered a qualifying reason.”

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More than 120 Nations Provide Paid Maternity Leave

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More than 120 Nations Provide Paid Maternity Leave

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“Some individual US states and possessions, however, do provide for paid maternity benefits, including Rhode Island, Hawaii, New Jersey, California, New York and Puerto Rico.”

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More than 120 Nations Provide Paid Maternity Leave

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More than 120 Nations Provide Paid Maternity Leave

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“In the United States, discrimination is prohibited against pregnant women, women at childbirth and women who are affected by a related medical condition, but only in companies with 15 or more workers”

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“Therefore, paid maternity leave policies would not only reduce employee turnover and the associated costs of recruiting and replacing departing employees, but would also improve employee morale and productivity.”

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“The results show that, on average, the length of paid maternity leave among non-union workers is approximately 57 days, whereas the average length among union workers is about 62 days”

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“that the use of paid maternity leave is associated with 3.1 percentage point lower wage growth rate during the first year after usage”

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“Experience 29% lower annual wage growth rate compared with non-leave-takers’ average two-year wage growth of 6.3%

for two years after leave us”

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“When you have short term disability through an employer, you may qualify to receive 50-70% of your income, typically for six to eight weeks after you give birth, depending on the type of delivery.”

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“With an LTD plan, the elimination period commonly lasts 60-90 days, but it can be as long as a year.”

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“Maternity  benefits  like  wage  payment  and  other medical  bonuses  are  a  significant  and  additional  burden  to  the  management.  This has  resulted  in  a  decline  in  recruitment  of  female employees  by  institutions,  and that becomes a case of a discrimination against women”

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“Because there were no established laws  or  regulations  pertaining  to  maternity  benefits,  the  practice  persisted. Numerous  women  were  compelled  to  take  unpaid  maternity  leave  or  quit  their jobs  because  there  were  no  clear  statutory  standards  for organizations.  In  many cases,  employed  women  are  choosing  to  work  through  their last  trimester  in  an effort to retain their employment”

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“FMLA may have increased disparities in early childhood health between children from different socio-economic backgrounds.”

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DESCRIPTION

Norman Rockwalls’s painting “The Jury” shows a the social inequality especially in the justice system

Depicts a woman being pressured by the 11 other male jurors to conform to their decision

The men seem adamant in their decision

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“Compared to men, more women need

leave from work for a family or medical

reason; that is, for one’s own serious health condition, to care for a new child (by birth, adoption, or foster placement), or to care for another individual with a serious health condition (24 percent versus 17 percent”

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“more women still have unmet need for leave for a family or medical reason—namely, a higher percentage of employed women than men do not

take leave when leave is needed (9 percent versus 6 percent).”

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“Across all leaves, substantially fewer women than men receive full pay while on leave (32 percent versus 55 percent and substantially more receive no pay (41

percent versus 25 percent).”

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“Parenting-related leaves present a unique opportunity to nurture positive emotional, behavioural, cognitive, and physical development.”

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“The benefits of a nurturing environment will potentially radiate through adolescence and young adulthood, developing their academic performance, social relationships, labour market outcomes and physical and mental health.”

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“Postpartum depression is defined as an episode of major

depressive  disorder  within  the  first  year  after  childbirth”

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“Working mothers, who today represent a more significant part of the workforce than in previous generations are at greater risk of postpartum depression due to sleep

deprivation, the demands of caring for an infant, and the inability to engage in health promotion activities because of

competing demands from home and work”

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“Most new moms experience postpartum "baby blues" after childbirth, which commonly include mood swings, crying spells, anxiety and difficulty sleeping”

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“Feelings of worthlessness, shame, guilt or inadequacy

Reduced ability to think clearly, concentrate or make decisions

Severe anxiety and panic attacks

Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby

Recurring thoughts of death or suicide”

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“Untreated, postpartum depression may last for many months or longer.”

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“With postpartum psychosis — a rare condition that usually develops within the first week after delivery — the symptoms are severe”

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“Around the world, minimum maternity leave guidelines are often regulated by law—and in many cases funded by the government—with employers free to offer better terms if they wish. As a result, the number of weeks granted for maternity leave and the percentage of pay received during that time varies from one country, state (where applicable), and employer to the next.”

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“In Estonia, mothers can take 20 weeks of fully paid maternity leave followed by 62 weeks of optional "bonus" parental leave.”

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“In Japan, almost half of all the available paid leave for new parents – 30 weeks – is earmarked for new fathers”

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“The Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) announced at the Trades Women Build Nations conference today that it will implement the most expansive maternity leave policy in the unionized construction industry.”

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“So you don’t have to choose between being a mother or being a laborer … your union will now pay you $800 a week for at least 12 weeks,” General President Brent Booker told attendees, referring to LIUNA members”

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STIMULUS

“If men are to remain civilized, or to become so, the art of associating together must grow and improve in the same ratio in which the equality of conditions is increased.”

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STIMULUS

“Nothing, in my opinion, is more deserving of our attention than the intellectual and moral associations of America.”