INTERVIEW OVERVIEW
In this episode, Laurel Bandy discusses the importance of maternity leave and how to prepare for balancing motherhood and career. She highlights the lack of federal paid leave in the United States and the varying policies of employers and states. Laurel provides advice on preparing for maternity leave, including researching state and employer programs, communicating with HR, and planning for childcare. She also discusses the options for returning to work after maternity leave, such as phased returns, flexible work hours, job sharing, and teleworking. Laurel emphasizes the need for paid family leave and the impact of maternity leave on the wage gap.
TAKEAWAYS
Maternity leave in the United States is limited and varies depending on the employer and state policies.
Research state and employer programs to understand the options and benefits available to you.
Plan for childcare early and consider options such as in-home daycare, nanny shares, or larger daycare centers.
Explore flexible work arrangements and phased returns to ease the transition back to work.
Recognize the impact of maternity leave on the wage gap and consider the long-term financial implications of leaving the workforce.
WORDS OF WISDOM
Maternity leave is a critical time where mom and baby need to spend a lot of time together, bonding, creating those chemical hormonal bonds, allowing mom to recover.
How much time you should have to bond with your baby should not matter based on where you live, where you work, who donates leave, whether or not your employer has short-term disability. It's just simply not equitable.
Preparing to leave is important. Make sure you have a plan to wrap up loose ends and hand over your work to someone so you don't come back to an avalanche of work.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction and Background of Maternity Leave
06:35 Preparing for Maternity Leave: Researching Programs and Planning for Childcare
13:41 Returning to Work After Maternity Leave: Phased Returns and Flexible Work Arrangements
26:55 Childcare Options and Considerations
32:25 Recommended Resources: Ina May Gaskin's Books
TALKING POINTS
maternity leave, balancing motherhood and career, paid family leave, FMLA, preparing for maternity leave, returning to work after maternity leave, childcare, wage gap
RESOURCES
https://bipartisanpolicy.org/explainer/state-paid-family-leave-laws-across-the-u-s/
https://www.eeoc.gov/pregnancy-discrimination
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/civil-rights-center/internal/policies/pregnancy-discrimination
BOOKS
Your Baby, Your Child - Penelope Leach
Ina May's Guide to Childbirth - Ina May
Laurel Bandy
Laurel is the mom of two neurodivergent boys. Diplomat, currently residing in Amsterdam. 2 natural unmedicated births. Principal Investigator for the City and County of Denver's Paid Family Leave grant in 2017. This important research contributed to the body of evidence supporting paid leave concurrent with FMLA (caregiving, illness, and babies!). Studied leave data from the City and County of Denver's employees. From 2014 to 2016, women were taking shorter maternity leaves (6.8 weeks in 2016 on average) - presumably due to lack of pay. On average, if a new parent wanted to stay home for 12 weeks with their new baby, they would have nearly 8 weeks of unpaid time. Surveyed 100 employers to find out what is prevailing. over 50% provided paid family leave and the average was 35 days. City and County of Denver has since adopted a 40 day paid Care Bank for all employees, and the State of Colorado has passed the FAMLI insurance program. Paid family leave is critical to better health outcomes for mom and baby, and has the potential to massively improve health equity. It should not depend on where you work or where you live. We must keep pushing for a federal solution!
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