Parental Leave Options are Slim Across the US

"Programmer working at home" by krzyzanowskim licensed under CC BY 2.0
Programmer working at home” by krzyzanowskim licensed under CC BY 2.0

Source: NPR

California’s options for parental leave are slim for employees who work for smaller businesses.

Recently, California’s governor vetoed a bill that would have given employees at small businesses the security of a job after taking parental leave for up to six weeks, if they chose to do so.

But many employees across the nation have been left without even basic benefits. For most employees working at smaller businesses of less than 50, they are not guaranteed basic benefits or paid leave by law, while workers in California who work in companies of 50 or more can take up to 12 weeks off without pay, with the security of keeping their jobs.

Some can take paid leave starting at 55 percent of their salary and up to almost 80 percent.

Many of those who are not offered those great benefits however choose to not take unpaid leave at all, for fear that they might lose their jobs.

Across America, only 13 percent of those who work in private sectors have access to paid leave and 87 percent have access to unpaid parental leave.

Read full story at: NPR

Children & Families, Justice & Poverty, News
Children & Families, Justice & Poverty, News