Tag Archives: Family Medical Leave Act

When Will We Meet The Need for Paid Parental Leave?

Posted on by June 25, 2013

What do you value most in life? Don’t think hard about it, just quickly rattle off two or three things.

Got em’ yet?

OK, so I betcha included in that list is your family. We all generally agree that family is important and needs to be prioritized. So why, oh why don’t we put our money where our mouth is?

I recently saw some compelling statistics from the National Partnership for Women and Families that paint a stark picture of the U.S. and its dubious … Read more ...

Culture Contrast: Norway’s support of working families and then there’s… U.S.

Posted on by May 15, 2012

I think us Americans could take a few pages from the Norwegian playbook, especially when it comes to families.

When me and my boys spent three weeks in Norway, we got a good sense of what our life could be like if we lived there. We’ve long known the differences between the U.S. and Norway. For one, they’ve had wonderful universal healthcare for decades. In America the average worker gets two weeks vacation each year, and it’s not abnormal that some have to use their … Read more ...

Reveling In My Land Of Nod

Posted on by June 9, 2011

Greetings and salutations from my own little Land of Nod. I arrived here on Jan. 4 and it’s the best place I’ve been in about five years. I believe you would refer to this dreamy locale as “maternity leave.”

Image by Erica Lynn Photography

I’m one of the lucky few Americans who has a job waiting for her after taking a maternity leave that’s longer than the 12 weeks granted under the Family Medical Leave Act. I recognize and am soaking up this blessing (and … Read more ...