If we want to reduce the gender pay gap, why not just get rid of lengthy maternity leave. Paid leave of up to 18 months is no incentive for women to return to work. Limit it to 3 months and watch them flock back to their careers.

ThatDamnedRedneck · 2017-05-27T17:30:59+00:00

As someone who is on his last weekend of 9 months of paternity leave, this is honestly a terrible idea. The bond you develop with your child during their first year is incredible and irreplaceable, and both parents should be given the chance to get as much time off in their children's first year as they possibly can.

Also, you're clearly not familiar with just how strenuous it can be to push a living human being out of your body. It can take a long time to fully recover.

Finally, young people have a hard enough time finding jobs without adding free daycare to the payroll taxes of every employer. This will greatly disincentive the hiring of young people in ages that are statistically likely to have children.

A_Very_Erect_Penis · 2017-05-27T17:11:13+00:00

3 months doesn't seem like enough. 6-9 sounds better to me. Let the baby develop a bit and be closer to a state where it's safe to leave it with child care services like a day care or sitter. Especially if you're going to breastfeed, which is healthier. Also more bonding time for both parents.

Galaxine · 2017-05-27T16:50:45+00:00

If you want to get parents of either gender in the US back in the workforce affordable childcare is the way go. My mom stayed home until her youngest was kindergarten age- so, 10 years or so counting all of us kids. 3 kids in childcare= oppressive financial burden. But, my dad made enough money to support the family without her working. She went back to college, and then work after.

18 months is extreme for leave. 9 is about perfect- that is the age when most kids eat a lot of solid foods and are weaning. The bigger issue is childcare and stagnant or declining wages. We have transitioned to a 2 working adults in each household sort of society and rare is the family with one parent at home. People can't afford to unless they are upper middle class or extremely, extremely frugal. Several hundred dollars a week per child is par for the course when talking about childcare.

I'm not saying subsidize childcare. But if there weren't a real economic need in many cases for a parent to stay at home we might see more of these women returning to the workforce. Why work for a paycheck if the whole thing goes to pay for daycare? Unless you have great healthcare... oh, wait. America. None of us have great healthcare.

My husband and I discussed this a lot before we found out we can't have children. If we adopt, he will stay home. My earning potential is higher than his and it will allow us to escape the childcare money black hole.

Forgot a bit- Employers won't pay to subsidize childcare. Not to that level you propose. It is a super idea. But never, ever going to happen without laws punishing the hell out of them for NOT offering it.

RapeMatters · 2017-05-27T16:48:15+00:00

It would probably be better to give each parent 9 months of parental leave that can't be ceded to the other party (but allow staggering). Then men and women would be equally likely to take time off for this, and therefore men and women would be an equal "bet" for the employer.

superduperdudertudor · 2017-05-27T22:59:41+00:00

I don't know. This seems like backwards thinking. If we're talking about the states, the rest of the 1st world has turned away from this thinking and it's worked in their favor. Longer leave and better childcare are good for both mom, dad and child. I just had my first son and I'd say 3 months is not a great time to go back to work. Id wager the women that don't go back to work are those that feel the same and are in a situation where one partner can sustain the family.

Mgtowuk · 2017-05-27T16:10:20+00:00

One risk is that some men will start to earn less which might mean the end of the marriage for the not-so-well-off men. That again could mean a catastrophe.

sparrowlasso · 2017-05-28T01:07:24+00:00

Nah bro. Double it on the condition that each partner splits it 50/50.

a-man-from-earth · 2017-05-28T06:04:56+00:00

You would also need to ensure women work the same amount of hours as men, and take the same kind of high-paying high-risk jobs...

Except all that goes against the greater freedom of choice we have achieved in modern society.

Comments