Elvira

It is not.

A lot saner than paying for a pointless war.

It's a question of priorities.

anabella

This article explains well how it works..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4356310.stm

another bloody yank

Ya got me there, I guess. It's also a lot saner (is "saner" even a legitimate word?) than sticking my bare foot under a running lawnmower.


I agree, but if it's O.K. to take a years unpaid leave, why not just quit?

Elvira

Why quit if she's going back? You seem to fail to grasp that one important aspect to maternity legislation is that it is a means for RETAINING staff.

Although I can see that in an economy which sees nothing wrong with firing workers at will and without notice, this concept may be difficult to grasp.

TruBrit

[QUOTE=another bloody yank;4316743I agree, but if it's O.K. to take a years unpaid leave, why not just quit?[/QUOTE]



i think a year is too long to expect an employer to keep a job open in all fairness.

anabella

Why would you want to quit and have to start all over when the year is up if you have a job to go to? It must be quite hard to go back to work after taking a year of as it is..

Elvira

Hm.

For some reason it seems okay to keep jobs open for Army Reserves and the like...

As I said, it is all a question of priorities...

TruBrit

i agree elvira however 1 year is pushing the boat out but that is my opinion.

if the UK law states it then the employee should be entitled much as the USA pregnant mums should have their leave with no pressure being added.

TruBrit

[QUOTE=Elvira;4316769]Hm.

For some reason it seems okay to keep jobs open for Army Reserves and the like...

QUOTE]

well now you have a point....out of interest is their job kept for a certain length of time?

another bloody yank

In my work environment, coming back after being gone for a year would be almost worse than starting fresh. There would be new systems, methods, clients, etc... Everything you knew would be outdated. Hell, your co-workers would have forgotten your name by then. By the time you got back up to speed it'd be time for baby #2!

We sacrificed financially for a few years until my kids started elementary school so that my wife could stay home with them. So believe me when I say I do not think that it is unimportant for a Mother to spend all possible time with the children, quite the opposite..

Elvira

[QUOTE=TruBrit;4316780] Not sure, but we had several teachers from our sons' high school going off to Iraq. I think they were gone at least a year.

TruBrit

[QUOTE=Elvira;4316795] oh ok, the little i know about the Reserves is that it is compulsory (i think) to go if called up so maybe that is why their jobs are kept open for so long.

Elvira

You seem to think that women on maternity leave are simply cut off from their employers. In the UK, employers will usually make sure that these employees are kept in the loop about developments in the workplace.

Certainly when I was on maternity leave I was copied on all important memos and had regular telephone updates on what was happening in the company. I continued to read the trade journals.

Also, I would be invited to all company functions, including the mandatory Friday after-work drinks. But I forget, you don't have those in the US, do you...

BigDavyG

So the reason we have kids is to look after old people - that's certainly a novel (and incredibly selfish) concept.

We went through this last night and you didn't even attempt to come up with one reason why encouraging people to breed is a good idea, apart from the welfare of the next generation of elderly. What about generations who will follow in 80, 90, 100, 200 years time ???

Overpopulation obviously isn't an issue to you then - space on the planet is as much a resource as fresh water, fossil fuels, etc and you clearly don't give a damn.
I suggest you go out and buy yourself a massive SUV whilst you're at it and be done with it.

another bloody yank

No, but we did have a Chistmas party this year! It was a buffet lunch at the local Casino. We had to pay our own way so it ended up costing me $32.50. ($12.50 for lunch and $20 wasted in the Casino.) We also got a Christmas bonus which was the right to a casual dress (Jeans and a nice shirt) THURSDAY in addition to the normal casual Friday the week before Christmas. That was cool.