Conference moira::parenting_v3

    Fraid not - it is not called Paternity Leave here, it is called Unpaid
    Parental Leave.  My husband took several months off when our daughter
    was born 4 years ago, not long after the policy was put in place.
    

    
    What's hugely unfair?   New mothers are not offered paid leave by
    Digital  - if that's the unfairness you're speaking of.   Pregnant 
    woman are offered short-term disability (STD) to cover the time (usually
    8 weeks) that they are physically unable to do their job.   New
    adoptive mothers receive no paid leave.  New birth or adoptive fathers
    receive no paid leave.   
    
    Carol

I believe that legally every company in Sweden has to offer 6 months maternity
leave which can be shared between the mother and father.  I am not sure AT ALL
about the length and whether it is law but My Swedish friend and her husband
used the opportunity for her to go back to work and support the family while
he quit his job and finished his schooling.  The time may actually be longer,
like I said, not sure.

ccb

    Well, the situation in France is not bad either : a woman gets 6 weeks
    before birth and 10 weeks after (if birth occurs too early, the time is
    added after, if it occurs too late, she still gets her 10 weeks after).
    This is the paid maternity leave and you HAVE to take it or you won't 
    get the social security advantages.
    
    The parental leave is unpaid : it consists of a maximum of one year,
    twice renewable until the child's 3rd birthday. Which means, you or
    your husband can take 3 years off and still have a job guaranteed in
    DEC after this period (at the same level and salary).
    
    Nice, isn't it ?
    
    Well, I'll take my maternity leave from November on. For the parental 
    leave, I shall see when the baby is born...
    
    Brigitte 

re .2

It was my understanding that pregnant women are offered maternity leave
which is paid leave provided they are full time employees of Digital.
I don't know what the timescales are, my wife doesn't work here. She's a
teacher and gets 18 weeks paid leave which is paid at the full rate if she
returns to work after that period. I think this varies according to the
Local Education Authority.

What is unfair is that "expectant fathers" aren't offered something 
similar to maternity leave. OK, so they don't have the same needs as the 
mother (ie feeding, having the baby, etc) but if the mother wants to return
to work early, then why shouldn't the father be allowed paid leave to look
after the baby? I could do with taking some paid leave to look after the
baby when my wife returns to work so as to offset the expense of a child
minder. But I don't see why it should have to come out of my annual paid 
leave.


Ian

    While the plan differs from province to province I understand they are
    very similar. Although we are in a facility that is in Quebec, most of
    us live across the river in Ottawa, which is in Ontario. But of course,
    we must follow the Quebec rules as to leave. Women have:
    
    - 17 weeks uemployment paid, topped off by DEC to 90 or 95% reg salary
    then optionally,
    - 10 weeks that can be taken by either parent, only unemployment benefits
      paid (up to a maximum amount)
    - 26 additional weeks leave unpaid.
    
    This scheme changes somewhat every so often, so it's hard to keep
    track.
    
    - Monica

Re: .5

I think .2 was quoting the US situation.  Obviously it varies from
country to country.  In the US, there is no such thing as maternity
leave, consequently there is no such thing a paternity leave.  Birth is
considered a medical condition and the mother is given a period of
short term disability to recover from it.  Fathers don't generally
become medically disabled, and so time off comes "out of pocket" if
they want to take it.

>>>==>PStJTT

    
    re: .7 
    
    Thanks for clarifying.  Yes, I was speaking of the US policy.   
    
    Carol

    Carol, (physically unable to do their jobs) Perhaps you should read the
    book called "The Pioneers Wives".
    
    Mike
    
    
    Before I get flamed-it's just a joke

    
    Yes, I forgot the "supposedly" or "theoretically" or whatever.
    I think the majority of readers got the gist of what I was saying
    however, right?
    
    Carol

Re.0:

I think if you'd asked this question in MARVIN::UK_Digital, you might have got
some different answers. I know someone who has just got back from paternity
leave having taken advantage of the new policy! Sorry, don't know any more.

/Dave.

    The UK and European responses are excellent comments on the third world
    services we expect, and get, here in the US. 
    
    Kit
    
    (A father who has taken the unpaid parental leave twice)

    Ian                                                             
    
    I guess you've probably seen this by now, but just to clear this up for
    UK dads-to-be, the following is from the new policy which takes effect
    from 01-Jul-1991:
    
    PATERNITY LEAVE
    
    Definition:
    
    A period of paid leave granted to the father of a new born child(ren)
    at or around the period of childbirth.
    
    Eligibility:
    
    Male employees with at least one year's continuous service at the date
    of commencement of the leave.
    
    Duration:
    
    Up to 5 days' paid leave at management discretion.  Further leave may
    be granted under Section 1(v) of this Policy.   {Don't know what this
    says.}
    
    Procedure:
    
    An employee should advise his manager as soon as the expected date of
    confinement is known.
    
    The dates on which the leave will be taken are to be agreed between the
    employee and his manager.
    
    Payment/Benefits:
    
    No impact on payment and benefits.

re.13:
    
>    The dates on which the leave will be taken are to be agreed between the
>    employee and his manager.
    
What does the manager know the doctors don't?

/Dave :-)

  RE: .14  

> What does the manager know the doctors don't?

    About as much as the insurance folks that tell the doctor how long you
    can stay in the hospital.  :-)