This woman is awful... (1 Viewer)

[Zigg]

Wife will be taking her full 52 weeks again when our second child comes.

You should gank a couple of those weeks for yourself.

Ps - America is weird

 

[Cliff Clavin]

You should gank a couple of those weeks for yourself.

Ps - America is weird

So weird. Couldn't imagine her having to go back after 12 weeks. 

 

[FreeBaGeL]

I'm probably the most pro-leave guy on this board.  I think that as a society we work way too much, and vacation way too little.  I think the work week should have been shortened from 40 hours by now (how much has productivity risen since the invention of computers?) and I think we should offer way, way more vacation time.

If ever anyone was going to high five an author of a book about more leave then I am that guy.

And even I think this lady is an idiot and that her arguments are ridiculously stupid.

 

[Rohn Jambo]

Even guys get paternity leaves nowadays.  It is only a matter of time before she will ##### about non-working people qualifying for their spouses' social security benefits.

Clearly she is not too bright because she only figured this out after she quit her job:

"Ultimately, what I learned from my own “meternity” leave is that any pressure I felt to stay late at the office wasn’t coming from the parents on staff. It was coming from myself. Coming back to a new position, I realized I didn’t need an “excuse” to leave on time."

 

[Rohn Jambo]

I only take a day off when I am really sick but some of my co-workers take 6 days of sick leave every year.  One is always out on Red Sox opening day.  They say it is covered by the company's insurance and already paid for anyway.  I actually cannot argue with this rational.

 

[Rohn Jambo]

I'm probably the most pro-leave guy on this board.  I think that as a society we work way too much, and vacation way too little.  I think the work week should have been shortened from 40 hours by now (how much has productivity risen since the invention of computers?) and I think we should offer way, way more vacation time.

If ever anyone was going to high five an author of a book about more leave then I am that guy.

And even I think this lady is an idiot and that her arguments are ridiculously stupid.

I have 6 weeks of vacation time and I think that is enough.

 

[FreeBaGeL]

I have 6 weeks of vacation time and I think that is enough.

Most people don't get 6 weeks.

 

[Rohn Jambo]

Most people don't get 6 weeks.

I agree everyone should get 6 weeks. 

 

[technicaldifficulties]

There's a federal law that protects your right to take time off due to your own serious health condition. This includes diabetes and diabetic gastroperesis. Ironically, it's the exact same federal law that protects the right of women to take maternity leave - the Famliy Medical Leave Act. Here are a couple relevant excerpts from the Department of Labor guidance on FMLA rights that are relevant to your situation.  Best of luck to you in dealing with your condition.

Given what you describe, I would think that necessary leave due to your diabetes would be protected leave under federal law.  Of course, both you and your employer would need to meet the eligibility requirements for coverage (e.g., number of employees, how long you've worked for the company), but that would similarly apply to the question of whether maternity leave would be legally protected.

Thanks for the education on particulars.  

I, actually, haven't been able to work since the gastroparesis set in.  I finished school in December and was starting job hunting when I had two episodes in three weeks and got hospitalized.  My sister, who lives in town, is unable to take sick time to care for me, as we do not live under the same roof.  She has to take regular PTO to take me to scopes, digestion studies, and to the ER.  

According to my understanding and according to the diatribe against my original post, maternity leave allows for a percentage of a woman's wage to be paid after she has exhausted the rest of her vacation time.  This is not available to others.  I find that an unacceptable elevation of a certain, limited group.  

I was also complaining about expected knee jerk reaction against this woman's views.  This woman is saying that people should be allowed to take time off according to their own personal decisions.  I firmly support this, for both sexes.  People may need to take time off for personal problems at many points throughout life.  Pregnant women get the option of choosing to do this; the rest of us have to wait for a 'cleared', unchosen situation.  If we are going to let a certain group of people chose to get additional time off, everyone should be able to choose to do the same.  

Compared to the rest of the world, our maternity leave system is disgusting.  The system needs to be changed, but it should be extended to include people in all companies and in all jobs and in all situations.

Apologies if some of this is addled.  I've only held down food one day in the last 7

 

[Thunderlips]

Doesn't she get vacation?  

 

[eoMMan]

Like one commenter on Amazon said, "you'll be thankful in 40 years that I took the time off to raise my kids when their taxes are paying for YOUR medicare".

That's dumb. If someone paid into medicare for 40 years, they should get regardless if your kids are currently paying into it.

 

[eoMMan]

As a non-breeder, I find the idea of maternity leave ridiculous.  Why should the government or a company be forced to give you time off for decisions you made with your genitals in your free time?  I'm a type I diabetic.  I have to go to doctors' appointments to get the advice and medicine that keeps me alive.  It's not a choice.  Why should I have to take pto to take care of a life-threatening illness while others can get free time off just for banging?  

There should be some sort of sabbatical system than anyone can use.  Hiring companies can then look at your vacation record and make a decision about what kind of employee they think you would be.

Kind of how I feel. It's not a right to procreate. Parents don't deserve sympathy or pity for sleepless nights with their kid. That's the life they chose.

 

[renesauz]

I don't know how it is handled elsewhere, but my wife was legally allowed to take up 12 weeks.  None of them were paid.  She could take 12 weeks of vacation/sick leave or she could take 12 weeks unpaid.  She could also take any combination.  If she only had six weeks vacation, she could take 6 paid/6 unpaid.

I think this is how it is most places. The job itself is secure, but not the pay. And most women don't get extra or bonus vacation time in order to have a child.

In the end, for most women in most places, if they want 12 weeks paid off, they have to go without any other vacation time at all for a 2 or 3 year period. Not sure why that should bother anyone.

 

[MaxThreshold]

Kind of how I feel. It's not a right to procreate. Parents don't deserve sympathy or pity for sleepless nights with their kid. That's the life they chose.

Really?  Were all your kids planned?

 

[Mister CIA]

Look forward to the sequel, Eaternity.

 

[RBM]

She's managed to frame this in a way that loser internet trolls and mommies, the two worst groups of humans on the planet, are both going to hate her. It takes some finesse and skill to be that awful. I kind of admire it.

Moms are among the worst group of humans on the planet? 

 

[eoMMan]

Really?  Were all your kids planned?

Yes, sir.  All of my zero children were planned that way.

Look, whether or not you plan to have kids or have a "whoopsie" accidental kid, you should be a good parent and raise them.  That will mean nights with interrupted sleep, not as much free time, not as much money, etc. etc. I get it.  It's a sacrifice.

 

[thayman]

Thanks for the education on particulars.  

I, actually, haven't been able to work since the gastroparesis set in.  I finished school in December and was starting job hunting when I had two episodes in three weeks and got hospitalized.  My sister, who lives in town, is unable to take sick time to care for me, as we do not live under the same roof.  She has to take regular PTO to take me to scopes, digestion studies, and to the ER.  

According to my understanding and according to the diatribe against my original post, maternity leave allows for a percentage of a woman's wage to be paid after she has exhausted the rest of her vacation time.  This is not available to others.  I find that an unacceptable elevation of a certain, limited group.  

I was also complaining about expected knee jerk reaction against this woman's views.  This woman is saying that people should be allowed to take time off according to their own personal decisions.  I firmly support this, for both sexes.  People may need to take time off for personal problems at many points throughout life.  Pregnant women get the option of choosing to do this; the rest of us have to wait for a 'cleared', unchosen situation.  If we are going to let a certain group of people chose to get additional time off, everyone should be able to choose to do the same.  

Compared to the rest of the world, our maternity leave system is disgusting.  The system needs to be changed, but it should be extended to include people in all companies and in all jobs and in all situations.

Apologies if some of this is addled.  I've only held down food one day in the last 7

Your sister could take off to take care of you under FMLA although you seem to miss the point of it.  FMLA would give your sister the right to take off, but it will not be paid (unless she has PTO left to use).

Although an employer may decide to pay a percentage of a woman's wage after all of her PTO is gone that is not a requirement by law, nor is it something that I would think is very common.

 

[3C's]

Yep. My wife just had 2 months of unexpected leave from work due to brain surgery. Her employer provides PTO and something they call extended illness bank. Those are time she earns through hours worked. Because my wife hadn't used her EIB and had tons of PTO saved up, she was able to take almost all of the 2 months off paid. If not for that, her "short" term disability doesn't kick in for 90 days and a lot of her time off would have been unpaid. FMLA guarantees her a job when she gets back (within 12 weeks), not paid time off. Would be the same if it were maternity leave, taking care of me or a parent/sibling in illness, or her own illness.

 

[snogger]

I only take a day off when I am really sick but some of my co-workers take 6 days of sick leave every year.  One is always out on Red Sox opening day.  They say it is covered by the company's insurance and already paid for anyway.  I actually cannot argue with this rational.

I never have to use vacation days for sick days ..One of the Benefits of working from home 2 days a week is that if I am sick, I just let my Manger know I'm working from home..

Truth is, if I went to my manager tomorrow and said "I want to work full time from work" he'd say "Go for it!" .. But, other then the hour drive in, I actually enjoy going in a couple times a week.

 

[DallasDMac]

I never have to use vacation days for sick days ..One of the Benefits of working from home 2 days a week is that if I am sick, I just let my Manger know I'm working from home..

Truth is, if I went to my manager tomorrow and said "I want to work full time from work" he'd say "Go for it!" .. But, other then the hour drive in, I actually enjoy going in a couple times a week.

Seems we work at similar places Snogger. I currently have two "scheduled" WFH days per week. I normally use them, but not always. If it is a particularly busy time or if there are meetings I feel I need to attend in person, I'll go in on those days. My company also has "Work AT Home," which is full time out of the house. If you choose that program, they actually come in, set you up with a dedicated network line, a home phone, a company owned computer, and your home is now your office. The downside is, once they commit the money to set you up, you can't just change your mind. We have limited real estate as we grow so, once you give up your cubicle, there's no place to come back too. So that is why I have chose not to go that route. But if I have a contractor coming to the house, or have a cold and don't feel well, I just drop my boss a text and say "Need to work from home today" and I'm good to go. The flexibility is, IMHO, one of the biggest perks of my job.

 

[Gachi]

Didn't read the entire article, but has she never heard of vacation or PTO? 

Also, the other day I watched a documentary about how crappy maternity leave is in the U.S. Most women are lucky to get 6 weeks off, 3 months is a pipe dream. It shed light on women who had pregnancy complications and what not. Some women have to go on temporary disability, which is usually just 6 weeks, and then they have to use up all of vacation and sick days. Even then that's sometimes not enough. It talked about women having to leave their children in the NICU because they have to go back to work. In Sweden, the government offers 1 year of leave that either parent can take. Canada is the same way, 1 parent can take off for one year or both can take off for 6 months or something like that. That kind of thing would never happen in the U.S. It's always interesting when America's social safety net is compared to our European counterparts. America always seems to come out not looking so hot.

 

[Grace Under Pressure]

Yep. My wife just had 2 months of unexpected leave from work due to brain surgery. Her employer provides PTO and something they call extended illness bank. Those are time she earns through hours worked. Because my wife hadn't used her EIB and had tons of PTO saved up, she was able to take almost all of the 2 months off paid. If not for that, her "short" term disability doesn't kick in for 90 days and a lot of her time off would have been unpaid. FMLA guarantees her a job when she gets back (within 12 weeks), not paid time off. Would be the same if it were maternity leave, taking care of me or a parent/sibling in illness, or her own illness.

Hope your wife is ok. This type of realism further highlight's the author's shallow perspective.

 

[3C's]

Hope your wife is ok. This type of realism further highlight's the author's shallow perspective.

Thanks! She is doing well. Today was her first day back to work. She's nervous and rightfully so but I'm sure she'll be ok.

 

[BusMan]

I think singles pay more taxes than married folks as an incentive to produce future tax payers.

 

[IC FBGCav]

I thought this was going to be about Hillary.

 

[joffer]

i thought this was going to be about pr0n