Can't believe that I'm actually posting in here.... , but FMLA and leave has been at the forefront of my mind lately. I'm very fortunate because I work for a progressive State agency that permits 6 months (unpaid) leave after the birth of my baby with a guaranteed job to return to. Under my employer's plan, if I had to go on bed rest beforehand, this wouldn't count against this six months. :!: Yes, I thank my lucky stars that this is the case.
BUT... on an ivillage maternity board that I frequent, people are freaking out about this issue in both their personal lives and on a social policy level. Since all the members at that sight are a bunch on insanely pregnant women like myself , I was wondering what you all think of FMLA. Essentially, this law allows 12 weeks per year of job protection for an employee that has worked in a company of a certain size to take off time to care for a sick family member, care for a newborn or newly adopted child, etc. Make no mistake, there is no legally mandated pay for this time and it allows for 12 weeks per year total. Thus, if you take 5 weeks off to care for your dying mother, this would mean that you would only be entitled to 7 for any other reason, unless your employer voluntarily extends it.
Do you all think that this is fair or socially responsible? Is it a fair employment practice? Doe the law overlook an employer's needs to be competitive in an increasingly competitive global economy?
Since I posed the question, I'll timidly suggest that I whole-heartedly support FMLA and support extending and broadening the rights guaranteed under this law. In my humble opinion, a social policy of allowing individuals time off to manage their personal lives and family should prevail over businesses' fiscal needs. If the law is globally enforced, no single employer bears the brunt of this policy. This country sadly boasts the least amount of protection for its citizens for family leave in the entire Westernized world. This seems tantamount to placing business needs before individual citizen needs.
But....that is just my take on it and I could be mistaken.
soooooo........Do you all think that this is a fair law? Is it enough protection? Should employees be granted more or less protection. Does this policy represent a sort of socialism/governmental interference which is contradictory to our basic form of democracy?
(Remember, let's all play nice with one another and realize that we don't have to agree on everything to remain friends. )
Kelly
BUT... on an ivillage maternity board that I frequent, people are freaking out about this issue in both their personal lives and on a social policy level. Since all the members at that sight are a bunch on insanely pregnant women like myself , I was wondering what you all think of FMLA. Essentially, this law allows 12 weeks per year of job protection for an employee that has worked in a company of a certain size to take off time to care for a sick family member, care for a newborn or newly adopted child, etc. Make no mistake, there is no legally mandated pay for this time and it allows for 12 weeks per year total. Thus, if you take 5 weeks off to care for your dying mother, this would mean that you would only be entitled to 7 for any other reason, unless your employer voluntarily extends it.
Do you all think that this is fair or socially responsible? Is it a fair employment practice? Doe the law overlook an employer's needs to be competitive in an increasingly competitive global economy?
Since I posed the question, I'll timidly suggest that I whole-heartedly support FMLA and support extending and broadening the rights guaranteed under this law. In my humble opinion, a social policy of allowing individuals time off to manage their personal lives and family should prevail over businesses' fiscal needs. If the law is globally enforced, no single employer bears the brunt of this policy. This country sadly boasts the least amount of protection for its citizens for family leave in the entire Westernized world. This seems tantamount to placing business needs before individual citizen needs.
But....that is just my take on it and I could be mistaken.
soooooo........Do you all think that this is a fair law? Is it enough protection? Should employees be granted more or less protection. Does this policy represent a sort of socialism/governmental interference which is contradictory to our basic form of democracy?
(Remember, let's all play nice with one another and realize that we don't have to agree on everything to remain friends. )
Kelly
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