Job Discussion Forums

[lyndalorient]

[veiledsentiments]

I pulled this out of a US newspaper article from a teacher in the US:

"When I tell people that as a teacher I get zero paid maternity leave, they're stunned," she says.

Our Federal Law states that a woman can have 2 months off (with no pay, of course) without loss of her job. But, most women can't afford to stay home without pay for that long. Of course, each of our states can make their own laws, but the attitude here is that it is woman's choice to have a baby and it is not the responsibility of an employer or the government to support her financially... and she is lucky if she at least has medical insurance and a couple weeks of paid vacation or some sick leave that they will pay her for.

Thus, as an American I didn't find your story all that shocking as that is the situation that I had always lived and worked under. I was more shocked to see that the experience at university level in the Middle East is totally different. For most semesters that I was there, 1-2 babies were born and each mother got two months of paid leave - and some of them had complications and got more. We were told it was the law in both Oman and the UAE.

As I said... if a baby is a possibility for you, the two pieces of advice are to check your contract and make sure that you are married.

VS

[smedini]

Wow...I was shocked that women on contract could have maternity leave in the UAE, but I'm even more shocked at how maternity leave is treated in the US. In Canada a woman can have a year off and she's paid through Employment Insurance (formerly unemployment insurance), based on the hours she worked previous to going on MatLeave - and I think it works out to be about 65 percent of what she was earning. Many of the more reputable employers also top that off so a woman can sometimes make the same amount when she's at home. And her position has to be given back to her at the end of the year. Not only that, but the year off can be split between the parents, so the father can take time off work to be with the new babe as well, and get EI while doing it. So the parents can stay home together for six months, or take six months each differently or they can both stay home for a month togheter to get the family back in the swing of things, before he or she goes back to work while the other stays home for ten more months (which is what we did withh our second). The same goes for parents who've adopted too.

Thanks VS for all the info...as I said, I don't plan on having more children but if I change my mind, it's good to know. Though that will put hub off from working for a few more years than planned...he's not North American so it might not be worth it for him to go to work anyway (as opposed to staying home and looking after the one we have whose care expenses won't be paid for a few more years yet)!

~smedini

[lyndalorient]

Its interesting to know this before you go. Ex pats should be aware that it isn t like in Ireland/Europe/Canada. I had no idea about the US, I just assumed it was the same situation as us.

As for the UAE nothing surprises me

That comment about monkeys returning to work after giving birth, made my blood boil

We re the same as Canada except 5 months paid and a possible 7 months unpaid. Not to mention childrens allowance on top of the wage.

Or what some mothers do if they don t want to return to work after the baby - is to say that they will return, collect the wages for the paid 5 months and then return to work and hand in your notice on your first day back.
My mother was too innocent to do this, and just left before she had me.

Having a baby can become a profitable business for those who choose to have loads of kids.

Even our immigrants benefit from our maternity leave and conditions. I very much doubt the Emirati situation is the same as for the ex pats!

[mishmumkin]

Lyndaorient said:

[veiledsentiments]

The man sounds like a credit to his gender... and perhaps proof that man didn't descend from apes since that would be an insult to apes everywhere...

VS

[smedini]

[lyndalorient]

[tweaka]

Perhaps I am just missing this.. but most employers allow you to have maternity leave. I wonder if it is a British employer?????

Here in the US schools you get 6 weeks off unpaid but can take up to 12. My son was born in April so I ended up going out after Spring Break and coming back in August, a good deal. Is the break paid in the UAE.. and can you get disability insurance?

I didn't before and the checks were... short.

[veiledsentiments]

At university level teaching, the mother gets two months off with full pay. If there are medical problems, they can get longer under the sick leave rules... again with pay. This is, of course, with the more reputable employers and/or government contracts.

I've never heard of anyone having disability insurance (though they may have had it from their own countries). If you become permanently disabled, you normally end up losing the job, and the better employers will pay your flight home. Extended illnesses depend on employers. I know people who were off for a semester or more due to serious illness, and the employer took them back - though they were not paid any salary beyond any sick leave or vacation time accrued.

VS

[Tumblashu's parents]

[helenl]

and I believe in Canada - if one does take the 6 months at full pay (1/2 paid by employer 1/2 paid by EI) and goes back to give notice to quit after that time - they have to repay the half covered by EI

[smedini]

[Tumblashu's parents]

[veiledsentiments]