Is maternity/paternity leave really fair?

Question

Basically you get your paycheck and your coworkers pick up your work.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

This is interesting timing because I just had this conversation with my brother. Without going into too much detail, he has a job where he and his team do very specialized work for clients. Each team member has their "book" of clients they support. Several weeks ago one of their team members went out on maternity leave, and the entire team has been working long hours trying to support their own books, plus cover their teammate's book. Another teammate is pregnant and will probably deliver in the next two weeks, and she also intends to be out for 3 months of maternity leave. Some think she may not come back at all based on some things she has said.

The company has already lost a couple of clients due to the hit that service has taken, and they are worried they will lose more as the service deteriorates even further when the next one has her baby.

The team is already stretched too far trying to cover for the one member who is out. And today one of the teammates resigned because she doesn't want to continue working 10 hour days to cover other people's books, so that will make matters even worse. The type of work they do is specialized and it's not easy to find people with experience and bring them up to speed to where they are an asset and not a liability.

Is all of that fair to this company, the employees and the clients? I don't want to be sexist, but I don't think it is.

MaazHussain · Accepted Answer

Maternity and paternity leave is important to ensure that parents have time to bond with their newborn child and take care of their family responsibilities. It is also a critical public health measure to promote the physical and mental health of parents and children.

While it is true that maternity and paternity leave can create extra work for colleagues, it is a reasonable trade-off to ensure that new parents have the time and support they need to care for their family. In many cases, this work can be planned for in advance and handled through temporary staff or other measures. Additionally, it is important to remember that many countries have legal requirements for employers to provide paid maternity and paternity leave, which can help alleviate some of the burden on coworkers.

Ultimately, providing parental leave benefits is not only fair to new parents, but it can also benefit the entire organization by promoting employee retention, reducing turnover, and creating a more family-friendly workplace culture.

whirled_up_girl · Accepted Answer

Well, where I work it's unpaid time, they can take three months off and not lose their job but if they don't have enough sick time to cover it, it has to be unpaid, the sick time for everyone accumulates at the same rate.

Jessica405 · Accepted Answer

Is being ill fair? You get your paycheck and your coworkers pick up your work. Six months later, it is payback time. Someone else is ill so you pick up part of the tab. What comes around goes around!

Guy13 · Answer

Solving the Maternity and Paternity leave issue in the workplace is quite simple.

Girls, get you a super comfortable air blown cushion designed couch, hers recyliner, and/or shoes, Lindt balls, and anything necessary to equip and raise the home, children, and efficiently maintain your home schooling wing. I want you reveling in your design and both walking and sitting on air throughout the process of life. It’s on me anyway…..
Celebrate yourself in your Intelligent Design. 👶👶👶👶 👶👶.

Astarlessnightsky · Answer

You also bringing a new human being into this world, which will rob you of your sleep and need 150% of your attention 24/7.

Stoner710 · Answer

maternity yes it’s fair. Women need recovery time, you just birthed and entire human though a tiny hole and they need to feed the child. So yes maturing leave is fair.

Men don’t need paternity leave sure we should get the first week off but after that it’s back to work. And yes only women can give birth trans women aren’t women and trans men aren’t men

WellGreetingsISay · Answer

I think it's fair, but I do think it's only fair if you make sure you wrapped up as much as possible so coworkers don't have to pick up loose ends and only have to pick up new things. The company can also keep it in mind to make sure the other employees don't get overworked.

Drumlin2001 · Answer

There is a certain unfairness about it. But the majority of people would use it at some time in their lives. In UK I got 2 weeks for both of my kids, took some annual leave too. Eventually as a society we need kids to be the next generation of workers/tax payers, so we need to give people some assistance.

Sevenpointfive · Answer

if she can walk she can work. i don't think the "bonding" shit matters. that's b. s. made up. i'd give them 3 days (not paid) to have a baby. live with your choices women and stop trying to get free shit

msc545 · Answer

It is fair. Americans don't have any sense of charitable obligation or decency at all really.

AmyHew1tt · Answer

Yes, provided you don't decide to have four children in a row, lol.

LiamJHayden · Answer

It should be up to the employer. If mandated, then it is just another example of idiot politicians who know  nothing  about running a business forcing costs upon businesses, or upon taxpayers.

Sasha0426 · Answer

I mean, if you can somehow magically can heal a woman after giving birth to a watermelon, that would be a amazing.

sheikalana · Answer

I think it’s s fair.

goaded · Answer

Yes, it is.

Is maternity/paternity leave really fair?

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