Argumentative Essay On Maternity Leave

Another problem businesses have with extending maternity leave is the fact some employees never return from maternity leave at all. This can be particularly saddening if the employee was well-liked, but other employees wait until the minute to notify their supervisors they will not be returning. At that point, the temporary employee has already been given their last day and the employer must begin the whole recruitment process over again. Many employers also become frustrated with women who come back from leave and expect the same pay and level of authority, but also the flexibility to work fewer hours and to leave early for soccer games and ballet recitals. Some employers have even admitted that there is a temptation to avoid hiring young …show more content…
It is also in society’s best interest to allow women time to recuperate after giving birth and to give babies time to bond with their mothers. In most cases, it is even in the business’s own economic interest to give women longer maternity leaves. Through communication, preparation, and flexibility, the United States can and should begin to offer its pregnant employees longer and paid leaves (Budak). Many employers’ expectations have not changed since the days when moms took care of the house and dads brought home the money (Warner 28). However, in today’s society sixty-three percent of women are co-breadwinners and employers need to adjust their expectations accordingly (Warner 27). An employer-employee relationship is similar to a relationship with a difficult spouse; in order for the relationship to work properly both parties must give and take (Budak). This is important to remember while attempting to find the right set of benefits for working mothers. Because corporations are generally slow in responding to social change, government intervention is necessary to provide minimum standards and funding for businesses who cannot afford to offer maternity benefits on their own (Cohn