Of the total 178 countries worldwide, The United States is one of three that does not have required paid parental leave for mothers. American women are offered 12 weeks of unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act, which exempts companies with fewer than 50 paid employees, but in 2011, only 11 percent of private sector workers and 17 percent of public workers reported that they had access to paid maternity leave through their employer. And for first-time mothers, only about half can take paid leave when they give birth.
Fathers should also be able to take paid leave. More than 50 countries in the world have paid paternal leave as well as maternal. Both parents need time to adjust and contribute to the life of their new child. Let's help make this happen.