Bob

not all...some are worse...

Tbag

Im sorry but you should take the time that you are entitled to. If HR approved it then go for it.
Im so sick of people saying you need to adjust or lower your standards.
Family comes before anything else for me, I understand providing for your family is also priority in the workplace, but for you to be bullied is outrageous.
They can get a flippin temp in or something, im not a mother but you can bet your arse that if I had a child I would take the time needed to care for he/she in the first very important months.
As far as your butthole boss saying that you have to get used to life here in the USA bollocks to him, isn't it enough that you will be doing this away from your familiar surroundings.......admirable by itself, you can't be expected to convert 100% to the way things are done here, if so we then loose our identity and what makes us unique in being British. And this is coming from someone who has been here 15 years who has adjusted plenty!!!
Sorry had to rant on this one

Bob

It is amusing the emphasise put on "good family values" over here, yet they don't seem to put into practice what they like to preach.

Speaking of, anyone heard about what's happening in California? Planning on out lawing spanking...anyone have any thoughts on that?

TruBrit

omg using that word here bob i dunno

Bob

I knew one of you kinky mares would pick up on it

Rete

As an American mom, I'm not putting you down for wanting to be with your new borne for such a length of time but curious why you qualify for disability for 4 weeks prior to giving birth? AFAIK, pregnancy is not a disability. I've known of people unable to get disability coverage for chemo treatments that make them to ill to go to work.

I understand your boss saying he is losing money when you are out. That's because someone has to cover for you when you're gone. If they have to hire a temp, it is costing them and the work will not be done in the same manner that you would be doing it.

Regardless, congratulations on the impending birth of your child.

And yes, I was one of those that worked until 1 week before delivery and returned to work 2 weeks after only to give it up entirely a month later.

Tbag

SO true with most in my experience, some talk about it but yes you rarely see it.
My US family think it's normal to only see each other once or twice a year if that, my sister in law and my hubby don't even speak all year, then at family gatherings and holidays it's like being with strangers

Don't get me started on spanking............ nothing beats a good spanking
Honestly Ive heard mixed reviews on that one, I for one got a swift slipper to the bum when I was a naughty girl as a child and i think I turned out alright, parents should stop trying to be "best friends" with children there's plenty of time to become friends when you are all adults,
thats my two peneth's worth

BritGuyTN

I think the amount of time you are taking off is ridiculous, 9 or 10 of our friends have had babies in the last year and no-one took more than 6-8 weeks off

22 weeks is absurd in my opinion and i'm not surprised your boss is aggravated - running a business is hard enough with out people taking nearly half a year off...

Your company is likely doing YOU a favour employing you and not vice versa, and YOU made the choice to have a child and thus inconvenience the company....

complaining about maternity leave (or pretty much any social benefit) in the USA is like going to Baghdad and being surprised about hearing gunshots....

gsnichol

Having read this thread I had a look at the manual for people at my level of employment. It seems pregnant mothers can take up to six months unpaid medical leave during pregnancy and for recuperation, returning to a position of no less seniority than when she left. There is also something else called 'family medical leave' under the 1993 Federal Family and Medical Leave Act which permits up to 12 weeks leave for one of various 'qualifying reasons' among which is the birth of a child. No distinction is made between men and women (it just says 'birth of the employee's child and the care of such newborn child') so I suppose men could theoretically take 12 weeks of paternity leave under this rule.

I don't know if the implementation of the rules is any more or less tough here (I'm a State employee) than in the private sector, but we do seem to have very few issues with HR and time off here. Flexibility seems to be one of the great benefits of academic employment (to compensate for the lack of $ methinks..)

TruBrit

surely if it's written in one's contract then it should be honoured with no penalties to the employee......

Leslie

The BSM folks will be flocking out of CA in droves.

gsnichol

I never did like their driving lessons.

Leslie

Oh the filth.

dbj1000

LMFAO! I had to re-read this a few times to make sure you weren't just being a sarcastic git.

But no, you're just a git.

You really have bought into all the worst aspects of American business practice, haven't you?

I would continue my rant by deriding your vile "employers are doing their employees a favor by employing them" shite, but you've drunk the Coolaid, so there's no helping you.

Leslie

I have to agree with this post. If you are good enough to be missed then you are good enough to keep around.