Column: Mother's Day is a good time to examine improving maternity leave practices
Would you accept a job that requires working 24/7, including weekends?
There are no vacations or sick leave.
You must be able to multitask and you can only get a short time to eat or go to the restroom.
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Sleeping is not guaranteed since sometimes there are tasks to be done at midnight.
And there is no salary.
The position: Motherhood.
And for all these sacrifices, we celebrate our mothers.
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Mother's Day through history and maternity leave
The first Mother’s Day was celebrated by Anna Jarvis in 1908 to honor mothers and the sacrifices they make for their children. In time, it became a day to call for women’s rights and feminist causes, like in 1968 when Coretta Scott King hosted a march in support of underprivileged women and children.
Today, one of the things women need most is proper paid maternity leave. It's an issue that has been neglected for years and needs to be examined.
Worldwide, about 62% of countries provide women with at least 14 weeks of paid maternity leave.
In the United States, federal policies regarding maternity leave are far behind those of other developed nations.
The first significant step was in 1993 when President Bill Clinton signed the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). It allows employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave. It includes taking care of a new, fostered, or adopted child, or taking care of a family member with a serious health condition.
However, the act contains several eligibility requirements. For example, the firm must have at least 50 employees; the employees must have been employed by the company for at least one year and have worked at least 1,250 hours in that year.
The act covers only 60% of employees, leaving out many who need to coverage.
Several states have publicly funded paid maternity leave, including California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Washington and Oregon.
But what about the rest? What about Ohio?
New mothers need a recovery period
Some mothers get zero days of maternity leave.
Mothers typically need six weeks to recover from childbirth, but that’s not the case for every woman. Recovery time varies depending on the type of delivery and whether there were complications. Some mothers need roughly 12 weeks or more as recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Everyone knows what having a newborn home is like. Not every woman can get support from a family member or can afford day care.
Between feeding, changing diapers, cooking, and cleaning, mothers can barely take care of themselves. Adding a job to all of that is insane.
Several Ohio legislators have introduced different bills aimed at increasing the benefits of maternity leave and allowing it for more employees.
Legislation introduced by State Sen. Theresa Gavarone, R-Bowling Green, offering 12 weeks instead of six for state employees.
Another one by State Reps. Janine Boyd, D-Cleveland Heights, and Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, introduced the Ohio Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program. The program provides economic stability to working families for 12 weeks, during medical emergencies, caring for sick loved ones, or welcoming a newborn into the family.
Just like the 401K, the funding will be deducted from employees' wages.
Both proposals never had a first hearing.
Studies done on states with paid leave program show there are better mental and health outcomes among mothers and children. The findings suggest parents have lower levels of stress and higher parental involvement. While children have higher rates of breastfeeding, fewer infant hospitalization. This also reflects in the economy, as it increases women in the labor force and they are less likely to rely on assistance benefits.
If you are thinking of what to give your mother on Mother’s Day, reach out to your representatives and demand they bring the proposed legislation back on the table.
This is not just a woman’s issue, it’s a social issue that affects us all. The equation is simple: A happy, healthy mama makes happy, healthy baby.
Shams Mustafa is a freelance journalist for the Wooster Daily Record. She came to the U.S. from Egypt and lives with her husband and children in Orrville.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Shams Mustafa: Motherhood is a tough job, let's make it easier
