Should women who choose too / cannot have kids be granted 9 months off?

[scottf 21]

The law has been changed as of this month. So now women can take the first 6 months of maternity leave, and their husbands/partners can take the second 6 months.

 

Really? Have you got a link for this- i knew they were talking but i hadn't heard it was written into the law books.

[Bojolo 10]

I think its the first 6 months that can be split as I think thats the amount of time you're entitled to maternity pay. Not quite sure, never had to take maternity leave! Not yet anyway!

[Mr Prime 10]

Two obvious flaws in your argument. One is that having kids is a choice so if you don't like doing any of the above don't have any. The other is that the world is massively overpopulated so why should women be rewarded for bringing more unnecessary kids into the world?

 

People who work for a living e.g. those needing time off don't bring unnecessary kids into the world. That's left to the Jeremy Kyle rabble who are on permanent maternity/paternity leave.

[Hydra_C_Ltd 10]

Sorry for not replying sooner. I found this out at an employment law seminar I attended last week. Here is a link to the information on the government website:

 

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Moneyandworkentitlements/WorkAndFamilies/Paternityrightsintheworkplace/DG_190788

 

The father can only take his "allowance" after the mother, so if she decides to take 6 months off, he would then be able to get the second 6 months off. If she goes back to work earlier, he can take up to 6 months earlier.

 

EDIT- although at the seminar we were advised that the parents would share the mother's 1 year maternity leave, on reading the article, it seems to suggest that the mother can still take up to a year, and that the father can then choose to take an addistional 26 weeks (6 months) after she has returned to work.

Edited April 21, 2011 by Hydra_C_Ltd
Read the whole government article

[Number Six 10]

woooah didnt realise this would cause offence it was just a hypothetical question that I though would get some interesting responses- some of ya need to chill out!!!

 

Do you not think the responses are interesting?

[the-lioness 10]

Do you not think the responses are interesting?

 

 

definately! only just read the rest of the replies. I personally think the idea of the splitting the mat leave between mother and father is a good one. Both parents should benefit from the time off to bond with the child.

Obviously I agree that maternity leave is for the benefit of the baby- it is also a very long time to have off and I know of quite a few women who dont have kids (i work in a large office) who feel quite offended when other women seem to work for a year, have a baby, have a year off and then repeat the cycle over again. Where as one of my colleagues who doesnt have children- applied for an unpaid career break of a year and was declined it.

[the-lioness 10]

People who work for a living e.g. those needing time off don't bring unnecessary kids into the world. That's left to the Jeremy Kyle rabble who are on permanent maternity/paternity leave.

 

absolutely true. Bringing children into the world is one of the most important jobs a woman can do but the 'jeremy kyle rabble' think its en excuse to never work a day in their lives.

strange how they have so much time to raise their kids but still tend to be s**t parents.......

[Number Six 10]

I know of quite a few women who dont have kids (i work in a large office) who feel quite offended when other women seem to work for a year, have a baby, have a year off and then repeat the cycle over again. Where as one of my colleagues who doesnt have children- applied for an unpaid career break of a year and was declined it.

 

But it's not you that is offended though? It's definitely just people you work with. Not you at all?

 

Just clearing that up

[the-lioness 10]

But it's not you that is offended though? It's definitely just people you work with. Not you at all?

 

Just clearing that up

 

well no because ive not thought about having kids of my own yet

[Number Six 10]

well no because ive not thought about having kids of my own yet

 

And so you're absolutely not bothered that your workload has increased and one of the women you work with 'has only been back 5 minutes' and is on mat leave again?

 

It's just 'some people' you work with who are bothered.

 

You're totally not bothered, but you don't have kids, and thought you'd start a thread about it.

 

Is that about right?

[the-lioness 10]

And so you're absolutely not bothered that your workload has increased and one of the women you work with 'has only been back 5 minutes' and is on mat leave again?

 

It's just 'some people' you work with who are bothered.

 

You're totally not bothered, but you don't have kids, and thought you'd start a thread about it.

 

Is that about right?

 

maybe im a bit bothered about it but i never claimed not to be- I was just starting a topic that I though would be interesting.

 

Why are you so bothered about me being bothered lol

[Number Six 10]

maybe im a bit bothered about it but i never claimed not to be

 

You sort of implied it though. "I know quite a few women ... " is a misleading phrase to use if what you mean is "I"

 

I know of quite a few women who dont have kids (i work in a large office) who feel quite offended when other women seem to work for a year, have a baby, have a year off and then repeat the cycle over again.

 

I'm not bothered about you being bothered, just just seemed to be being evasive about it in a way that suggested you didn't want to admit that it bothered you - perhaps because it bothers you now, but you know you might feel differently in the future if you get chance to find out what 9 months "off" feels like