Inefficiency of United States Maternity Leave Policies

Authors

Kimberly Merkley

Keywords

maternity leave, maternity policies, United States, Family and Medical Leave Act, FMLA

Abstract

In the United States, many aspects of the workplace are incompatible with motherhood. These include lack of childcare facilities, inflexibility of workplace hours, and the large amounts of time required to attain top positions. One of the most widespread deficiencies in all industries and workplaces is maternity leave, which is neglected at both the state and federal level. Consequently, a woman is often given little or no job protection, let alone compensation or benefits, while focused on the birth and early nurturing of her child. The United States falls well behind other developed and developing countries in this area.

Recommended Citation

Merkley, Kimberly (2015) "Inefficiency of United States Maternity Leave Policies," AWE (A Woman’s Experience): Vol. 2, Article 6.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/awe/vol2/iss2/6