SO awesome! And the Republicans deserve it... I'll leave it there.

Heather, I'm so proud of you!

I love this! Keep using your power for good, Heather! :)

Maternity Leave is hard. Here in Oregon, luckily, we get 12 weeks off. If that mother chooses to breast feed, workplaces have to provide adequate space for pumping (can no longer be shoved into a restroom stall).

I didn't know until recently that our Canadian parental leave was unusual. The DC teaches me so much. ;)

Fingers crossed that some of those initiatives start to really take hold. I would love more workplace flexibility up here too. In some situations, it just doesn't make sense not to be a little more adaptable, for parents and non-parents alike.

Wow. I am really shocked by the statistics you gave. 50 weeks of maternity leave?! It seems like the US is so behind on a lot of things.

This is really interesting. I am in Canada as well, and I forget how different we are from the US when it comes to mat leave. Everywhere in Canada we get 50 weeks of combined pregnancy and parental leave: 15 for pregnancy leave and 35 for parental leave. The 35 weeks can be taken by either parent of the child or shared between parents. (Adoptive parents only get the 35 weeks.) During the leave parents do not have to be paid by their employers - if they are eligible for employment insurance, they will be paid by the government. They'll get a percentage of their income, up to a maximum (it's not a huge amount, the max usually works out to a little over $400 per week, but it's sure better than nothing). The employer's only responsibilities are to keep the parent employed during their leave, continue any benefits they get during their leave, and usually to return them to the exact position they were in at the end of the leave. Some employers top up the employment insurance to match the parent's regular pay or close to it, but many smaller businesses can't afford to do that. Our parental leave has increased over time and has only been this long for about ten years, but I can't imagine it being any other way.

In Sweden parents get even more - and can take it any time during the first seven years of a kid's life! In Canada we have to take it all at once when we become parents.

I should mention, as a Canadian who took the full 50 hours of maternity/paternity leave, that the employers do not pay a cent during our leave- it's all government. The government matches nearly 50% of what we were making for the ENTIRE leave. On top of that, I get $175 every month from the government for having a child, even after my mat leave has ended.

Long time reader, first time commenter.

I am a resident of Ontario, Canada and have been on Maternity Leave for 33 weeks and have received bi-weekly payments from the Provincial Government for 31 of those weeks (plus an additional $100 from the Federal Government).

I am extremely fortunate to live in a Country that is willing to help families be home with their Children for their first year together. It has been an experience that I will never forget and am so grateful!

However if it was up to my employer, a 72 year old man that feels that women should leave the work force when they birth their babies (allegedly) I'd be out on the streets. But that's a whole other story for a more appropriate post.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6109083&id=6...

I'm an ex-pat American settled in Canada and I'm halfway into my maternity leave. I'm extra lucky because my employer tops up the difference between what I get from unemployment insurance and what I normally make for the first 6 months of my leave. Every.single.day I marvel at how amazing this country is (I'm not saying the US isn't great, I love it too, don't start hating on me). Man, SOCIALISM ROCKS!

This makes me smile and cry all at once. I love living here. I hate living here. We have so much, yet have so little. We say one thing and do another.

I wish we could get it right. I really wish we could. But until we put humans over dollars, we'll stay right where we are.

As a Canadian, I knew we had an outstanding allowance for maternity leaves, however, I had no idea we were ahead of so many other countries. My workplace actually tops up the unemployment insurance for several months and women accumulate their vacation time while they are off (minimum 4 weeks extra), so they could actually take 13 months off paid. I just can't imagine anything less than one year entitlement.

I sincerely hope that your voice and others advocating for change are heard.

We Canadians are very knowledgeable about what goes on with our neighbors, but every time I am South of the border, I am amazed when I talk to people at how little they know about us. Most Canadians I know follow your politics and educate themselves on what is going on with our neighbors. We celebrated the change in power. Unfortunately, for my family, the stimulus money paid to have my husband's workplace of 26 years move to the U.S. so they could do the same job making 1/2 of what workers up here made. Even so, I thank God Obama is in power over the alternative. I talk to women in the U.S. that love Palin simply because she is a woman and "like us" they say. Really? Seriously? I don't get it.

We have a health care system that we don't even have to think about. It is there and we are all covered, rich and poor alike - we pay nothing. It is our right. Yes, we have a shortage of doctors in many communities and people may have to wait to see a specialist, but I cringe when I hear uninformed people criticize it.

I enjoy your blog and admire the work you do. You have a tremendous influence and as a mother of daughter who has suffered from depression, you give me encouragement.
Keep doing what you're doing.
There are no innocent bystanders.

Thanks for speaking up. It's so imperative to actually TALK about the issues, instead of just stewing.

Rock on Heather!!!

I've been waiting for this final installment. First, let me say thank you again for reaching so many people on this issue. I hope you know how much it matters.

To the commenter who noted the FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) yes, it is a great law but it isn't accessible to many workers. In order to use FMLA you must work in a worksite of 50 or more employees, you must have completed 1000 hours of work at that site and the leave is unpaid. This excludes millions of workers (although I would note employers can choose to give leave if they are willing - mine does and we have less than 50). But the real point here is data that shows even though workers qualify for FMLA many feel they can't afford to use it or fear their useage will be held against them. CA is the leader at this time in paid leave for family-related needs but that is only one state. We have to do better.

It is up to us to ensure families can thrive economically while still having time to nurture our children, aging parents and other family members who depend on us. Harry Reid noted some important legislation but he did not mention the Healthy Families Act which would allow all workers to earn up to 7 paid sick days a year for their own or a family member's illness and ensures the useage would be protected. There is legislation federally and in many states promoting passage of paid sick days and paid family leaves so that working parents don't have to choose between the job they need and the family they love. President Obama supported much of this legislation as a Senator and we should be encouraging support from the Administration now.

Two web sites if you are interested in these issues (along with comprehensive health care reform) that are targeted to working women and healthy families:
9to5.org
FamilyValues@Work.org

I just signed in for like the first time in at least a month to say Leta looks soooo great in her glasses- BEAUTIFUL! I don't know her, obviously, but I feel like they're so *her*- like she should have been wearing glasses all these years since she poop...er,POPPED out of you.