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Family Leave

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RSTRICK30

VUSports.com Legend
Jul 11, 2001
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When I was a single man with no children, I could often be found ranting about the inequity of companies offering paid family leave (maternity/paternity), while not offering an identical number of paid days off for non-parents who choose to say, immerse themselves in a language in a foreign country for two months...or learn to play a musical instrument....etc.

Of course, now I have one child and another coming any day, so I'm not as likely to be heard spouting off about this inequity, but I still do feel the same way deep down.

So, I guess my question is, why do company's offer dissimilar benefits to two identically qualified workers? Should a company be in the business of determining which non-work related endeavors are worthy of paid time off?

Discuss
 
Because our stupid society puts parenting and children on a pedestal like its some goddamn sacred thing only the chosen few can handle. Single people with no kids are looked down upon as defective because no one wants them.
 
RSTRICK30 said:
When I was a single man with no children, I could often be found ranting about the inequity of companies offering paid family leave (maternity/paternity), while not offering an identical number of paid days off for non-parents who choose to say, immerse themselves in a language in a foreign country for two months...or learn to play a musical instrument....etc.

Of course, now I have one child and another coming any day, so I'm not as likely to be heard spouting off about this inequity, but I still do feel the same way deep down.

So, I guess my question is, why do company's offer dissimilar benefits to two identically qualified workers? Should a company be in the business of determining which non-work related endeavors are worthy of paid time off?

Discuss
Click to expand...
Solid f*cking post.

Why can't I take a week off and do Habitat for Humanity and have it be the same thing?
 
RSTRICK30 said:
So, I guess my question is, why do company's offer dissimilar benefits to two identically qualified workers? Should a company be in the business of determining which non-work related endeavors are worthy of paid time off?Discuss
Click to expand...

I guess the idea is that the employee will work better if they get the time off to help stabilized their home life. If you don't, their work performance may suffer.

nardibynature123 said:
Solid f*cking post.

Why can't I take a week off and do Habitat for Humanity and have it be the same thing?
Click to expand...

Lots of places allow charitable time off. Some make it mandatory - everyone must do x days of charitable work each year.
 
UncleBill69 said:
Because our stupid society puts parenting and children on a pedestal like its some goddamn sacred thing only the chosen few can handle. Single people with no kids are looked down upon as defective because no one wants them.
Click to expand...

article-2215925-026C317B00000578-104_468x484.jpg
 
Full disclosure; my firm announced today (just in time) a new Family Leave policy that provides four weeks paid leave for me any time during the first year of the child's life. I think I'll "stick it to them" by taking the time off and learning Mandarin while the nanny takes care of my kid.
 
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This is ridiculous. Why should a company continue to pay an employee who wants to go and do something else for a period of time. Quit your job if that is what you want to do. Companies are in the business of making money, not letting their employees do something else because they feel like it.
 
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NovaHoops2002 said:
This is ridiculous. Why should a company continue to pay an employee who wants to go and do something else for a period of time. Quit your job if that is what you want to do. Companies are in the business of making money, not letting their employees do something else because they feel like it.
Click to expand...
Agreed, why should they let someone have a kid and take 12 weeks off?
 
I would never accept a job at a company that REQUIRED me to perform charity work. That's ridiculous.
 
The tax code gives people tax breaks for buying a house and having a kid. How unfair to single renting losers!

Generally, most people and institutions recognize that having a young child at home is really really hard. Learning Mandarin is probably hard too, but I don't think it really rises to the same level.
 
My company now offers 8 weeks paternity.

Its called a benefit. Its to entice people to work for your company. I was going to get into a soap box speech about why this works but i think we all understand why a company would offer this benefit to entice talent.
 
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RSTRICK30 said:
When I was a single man with no children, I could often be found ranting about the inequity of companies offering paid family leave (maternity/paternity), while not offering an identical number of paid days off for non-parents who choose to say, immerse themselves in a language in a foreign country for two months...or learn to play a musical instrument....etc.

Of course, now I have one child and another coming any day, so I'm not as likely to be heard spouting off about this inequity, but I still do feel the same way deep down.

So, I guess my question is, why do company's offer dissimilar benefits to two identically qualified workers? Should a company be in the business of determining which non-work related endeavors are worthy of paid time off?

Discuss
Click to expand...
Why not. It's not dissimilar than any other benefit a company chooses to provide their employees. Problems arise when you start mandating but if company's want to offer as a benefit to employees that's a good thing. If you don't like it, don't have children or work somewhere else.
 
RSTRICK30 said:
Full disclosure; my firm announced today (just in time) a new Family Leave policy that provides four weeks paid leave for me any time during the first year of the child's life. I think I'll "stick it to them" by taking the time off and learning Mandarin while the nanny takes care of my kid.
Click to expand...
Child please. You were too scared of the misses to even make the trek to Charlottesville while she's 7 months pregnant.
 
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adp98 said:
. It's not dissimilar than any other benefit a company chooses to provide their employees.
Click to expand...

Are there many other company benefits that are not available to all employees? Some I guess...but not many.
 
My company employs Choice Days, everyone gets Choice Days, they are suppose to be used for sick days, extended time off etc. Your first year you get 4 then every year it goes up. You max out with about 3 months of choice days, you can use them for Family leave, extended time off if needed. Our company is okay with using them as long as you dont abuse them. For example if you start taking an extra week off a year to go to cabo in your first year, no dice, but people who have been with the firm 5 or 6 plus years have gone on extended trips, for example, Italy for a month, Australia for a month. As long as it fits within the work schedule IE your not on a client at that moment then it works.
 
I mean, let's call it what it is: AN AUTOMATIC CASH BONUS TO ANY EMPLOYEE WHO GETS PREGNANT

Obviously a company has the right to compensate in whatever manner they choose, but it just seems out of place for them to be in the business of encouraging procreation.
 
ComeFiesta said:
Maternity leave
Click to expand...

Certain companies are required by law to hold certain jobs available for a certain period of time for female employees who give birth. There is no requirement that the company pay these women a dime while they're not working.

Tad different than issuing cash bonuses for getting pregnant.
 
What are you talking about? Leave requirements differ drastically by state. Some states still have no paid leave, but the vast majority require at least some portion of the required leave to be paid. I think the typical requirement is around 4 weeks paid, and then the job has to be held open for a certain period of time while you are on unpaid leave. Does the SoP really still have no paid leave requirement? I thought Kentucky was the only one left that didn't require at least some paid leave.
 
So wait, this whole time you've been griping about optional, non-required benefits that get offered by certain companies? To mis-quote our favorite octogenarian, "if you don't like it, don't work there."
 
RSTRICK30 said:
Are there many other company benefits that are not available to all employees? Some I guess...but not many.
Click to expand...
Explain. Are there people who have a child or adopt that don't qualify? Sounds like a law suit.
 
I believe four states have publicly financed paid maternity leave: California, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Rhode Island

What is the SoP?
 
NovaHoops2002 said:
This is ridiculous. Why should a company continue to pay an employee who wants to go and do something else for a period of time. Quit your job if that is what you want to do. Companies are in the business of making money, not letting their employees do something else because they feel like it.
Click to expand...

Andrew Carnegie over here
 
adp98 said:
Explain. Are there people who have a child or adopt that don't qualify? Sounds like a law suit.
Click to expand...

I suppose this is true...an employee who has no interest in having a child, but wants the cash bonus COULD, in theory, adopt a child and get paid out. Does this make the benefit MORE or LESS ludicrous?
 
ComeFiesta said:
The tax code gives people tax breaks for buying a house and having a kid. How unfair to single renting losers!

Generally, most people and institutions recognize that having a young child at home is really really hard. Learning Mandarin is probably hard too, but I don't think it really rises to the same level.
Click to expand...
You want to know how you can tell if you life has been easy? You think having a young child at home is "really really hard." Anybody see the first episode of Master of None? Rstrick is killing it in this thread.
 
RSTRICK30 said:
I suppose this is true...an employee who has no interest in having a child, but wants the cash bonus COULD, in theory, adopt a child and get paid out. Does this make the benefit MORE or LESS ludicrous?
Click to expand...
I dont find any of it ludicrous. It's a benefit to promote a good working environment and attract quality people.
 
danmcguire said:
You want to know how you can tell if you life has been easy? You think having a young child at home is "really really hard." Anybody see the first episode of Master of None? Rstrick is killing it in this thread.
Click to expand...
You are talkin about a guy who pre-kids traveled the world, now he's too scared to leave the cop because his wife is pregnant. Maybe not hard, but sucks the life out of you?
 
adp98 said:
You are talkin about a guy who pre-kids traveled the world, now he's too scared to leave the cop because his wife is pregnant.
Click to expand...

I'll have you know that last night I had not one, not two, but TWO AND A HALF beers before getting into bed at 10:15pm.....
 
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