Steve and Lindsay with all due respect as US citizens your country is in this mess because as this video shows you’re worrying about how businesses are going to pay for these basic fundamental rights that everyone else has. You’re not supposed to worry about those details, that is for the government -which you elect - and business to sort out between them. As a citizen all you have to do is demand these things from your government and let them sort it out the details that’s what you elect them for. It not just paid parental leave but so many other things: healthcare, food and environmental regulation, gun control, etc basic things that other countries take for granted these things don’t get fixed because you’re worried about how corporations will cope. Don’t worry about it they be just fine. You need to get corporate money out of your politics and start electing people that want to change your system.
Absolutely correct. Stop worrying about "forcing" companies. What do you think the rest of the world did. The US prioritises corporations over people, and that's what's wrong with it. The government can assist companies with tax breaks. They always could.
'the government -which you elect' this is part of the problem, also the Federal Machinations whereby different States have different Laws. The UNITED Kingdom isn't called that for a Laugh.......Same Laws/ Rules for ALL X
Also most Companies offer Much more Generous 'Benefits' for sickness, Paternaty/ Maternaty leave Etc.....than reported in the Clip. If You are Sick/ Ill during leave, you can Claim back those Sickness Days!
It's bad enough when governments here get voted in, then turn their backs on the folks who got them there, but, it's truly shocking that the Americans voted their politicians into power but then are not provided with the natural rights fought for and eventually received, due to people fighting to be treated well, and given the rights we deserve, not just what politicians want in order to line their own pockets and those of their rich donors.
@@MargaretTindale What surprises me is that all this information is freely available on the net. People on the US seem to be either not interested in looking outside their country or too busy making a living to have the time to do in-depth research. These reaction videos are an eye-opener for those who watch them.
American bubble where corporate greed comes before people a country where everything is based upon how much money you have From an objective view point it is unfortunate that in America money is God and how everyone is complicit knowingly or not
This is more down to the sheer size of the US and the fact that most Americans see little reason to look outside at how other countries do things. Like most Americans holiday (vacation) just in a different US state. And all the time American's are told America is the best and is the land of the free. Many must just believe that and not realise it actually just means everyone for themselves, you're on your own. The same insular-ness in North Korea is of course instead achieved by control.
YES! I absolutely agree! The sheer size of the US and the fact that they have few borders with other countries contributes to their ... what is it .... ignorance? Even if a country on a border is hostile the huge, far more wealthy US would be able to squash them. In Europe, for example, countries are squashed together with both hostile and friendly nations so they have to get along.. Do you have to bother about the employer? No. The employer and the employee have to be concerned for themselves. It's not for the employees to be worried about whether or not the employer can provide maternity leave (for example). And most employers wouldn't be small businesses anyway, most are large and can easily absorb the finances. In one of the US The Office episodes, the Warehouse demand to be allowed to have a Union (!!!!) and Jan threatens them by saying if they were allowed a Union the business would collapse and they'd lose their jobs. This is along the same lines as wanting the government to provide health care. It seems that most Americans think that this would be 'socialism' and this makes them scared. No wonder the US is so wealthy! Their government doesn't spend money out on health-care or things like Maternity Leave.
As a small employer in the UK, we just get a temp in to cover for any workers on extended leave. It's not a big deal but I did find it amusing how your first thought was "but how would this affect employers" not how are we so isolated from the rest of the world on this issue and what are we going to do about it. US citizens are so programmed it's crazy.
Yep, it's that exact attitude they had that is the reason the US doesn't do it. Americans are so obsessed against the idea of the federal government taking charge on something the states aren't doing, they'd vote against their own interests. Shocking the first concern he had was about the employer.
I think both are fair questions. And...it's not so much that we believe our employer is "king" (as another commenter chimed in). It's more about the fact that we are more entrepreneurial minded and have considered starting a brick and mortar business, so we were curious how in societies that offer generous paternal leave, how that affects smaller businesses as well. Thanks for sharing your insight on that!
How small are you, and how on earth do you just "fire up" a temp for a key employee. I think you are a fibber and not at all a small employer. I've worked in small biz and multi-million huge biz.
Employers will take on temporary staff to cover the absence (UK) UK also has up to 52 weeks paid maternity with 26 weeks on full pay and 26 on half pay so it's actually better than the blog describes, also men can get paternity too to help bond with the child. Not providing maternity pay amounts to slavery
Statutory rights are 39 weeks at statutory maternity pay and 13 weeks unpaid. There is no legal right to 26 weeks full,pay and 26 weeks half pay, that would be a companies choice to pay their staff in that fashion, although there aren't many that are that generous these days.
The first 6 weeks are paid at 90% of the average earnings. It drops significantly after this point to a maximum of £184.03 per week. If you're already earning less than 184.03 per week, the 90% holds.
Just to clarify Tracey and James's comments: In the UK, the first 6 weeks of maternity leave is paid at 90% of the employee's average wage. The next 33 weeks are paid at £184.03 or 90% whichever is lower. The last 13 weeks is unpaid. A company is, of course, free to pay more than this if it wants to, or to make some provision for those final 13 weeks. The government just won't fund this additional expense. Bank Holidays (Public holidays) and annual leave entitlements accrue during maternity leave and can either be taken in lieu once the employee returns to work or paid at the employee's normal pay rate. The employee is also guaranteed the same or similar role once they return.
It amazes me that your first question is how it affects the employer! Also, how you can even wonder about whether this should be Federally mandated!?! Your ignorance about how badly you are treated is frankly astounding. Dig further on these topics. You are so terribly treated in the US it is shocking
I was pretty shocked at that question too. He says at the end that we should care about how it affects the employer. Why? It also explains in the video itself that the company will get X amount back through taxes / reimbursement. Companies hire maternity cover. My manager is currently on mat leave, so I have a temporary manager while she's away. (I'm in the UK, for context). And yes, it should be federally mandated by the US government. I find some of the points of view and questions from some Americans truly baffling.
The main reason it's this way is because Americans think they are citizens of the usa ,it is quite obvious they are not, but are commodities of the usa , so the government does not have too look after them just consume them and replace .
“How does it affect the employer” is the American attitude summed up. And that’s a huge differences between the U.K. and US. We pay taxes to protect pregnant women, fund the NHS and for vulnerable 7:56 people. Whereas in the states it seems more ‘each to their own’ They’re a business. The government reimburse them up to a certain point and then it’s up to them so they legally have to meet the minimum requirements of the legislation. Most companies will then hire a ‘maternity cover’ to carry out the role for 9-12 months. You also legally have to carry out a risk assessment on a pregnant person and follow up on any actions regularly. It could mean anything from increased breaks, a change of role completely if is too physically arduous.
@@trevorcook4439 my parents lived in Iowa for 5 years but moved back to have me as they were so worried about anything relating to law and money and safety and not the people ❤️
100%! I lived there for 10 yrs and couldn't get over how everyone is just working all the bloody time. My ex only got 2 weeks paid holiday per year and I thought that was crazy but he told me that was actually good for the US. Plus he had a set amount of sick days! You cannot control how long you will be sick for. He had flu once and had to go into work as he'd used up all his days and vacation days. It was crazy! We ended up moving back to the UK for a better life!
It's a bit disheartening to hear at the end of that that your concussion is basically - it should be for employers to decide. Which is exactly the situation you're in now. Incentivising them won't work. They don't care about what's best for their workers, they care about money. That's why the government needs to provide those protections for the people. For two intelligent people who seem to understand just how important it is to still basically side with the employers is just depressing. It's no wonder nothing ever seems to change for the better in the US when it comes to rights for the people. Workers in the US are getting shafted and they always will.
@@vaudevillian7 right.... for example food service employees are made to work but not given a proper wage, and rely on "tips".... that's called conditioning or brain washing.... the internet is right there~~
Out of date video, UK 52 weeks maternity leave, most employers pay 6 months full pay 6 months half pay. Employers can claim back in tax breaks. Steve was concerned about the employer, and there is the problem.
Not to my experience, in practice. The employee declares they are pregnant and a whole established procedure swings into place. The employee gets shadowed while they are still able to work, transferring their skills to a stand in. Stand ins have established themselves showing they have a good work record. Often that stand in will be retained by the company. The government recompenses the employer for the extra money they are paying out. When the employee returns to work you have someone who has established a home routine and has far less stress concerning how their child will thrive and be supported. That employee retains a degree of allegiance to the company knowing that when the time came, support was there.
@@davebox588 yes, and in Northern Ireland we also have paternity leave for couple of weeks, and paid time off for pre natal appointments for expectant parents. I know there's also laws around fostering rights but I'm unsure of what they actually are, as I personally have never known anyone.
All the companies I've worked for (in the UK) have only paid statutory minimum maternity leave, so nothing at full pay. It's the reason I don't have children, sadly.
I mean the whole tipping culture is a result of slavery. After abolition business owners did not want to pay black employees who were the main group in the service industry, so tipping was introduced
30% of appliances in the usa are made by convicts. That's one of the reasons why locking up people is really important there. More 17 year old black men in prison than in college is one fact off the top of my head.
My daughter in the UK and has just returned from maternity leave. She took 12 months off or 52 weeks. Her employer kept her job free because they have to. She also had accrued holiday entitlement as an extra.
Yes 52 weeks maternity leave in the UK is law to try ensure your job is safe. Companies often fill the position by advertising the job as maternity leave cover. The presenter in the video saying 39 weeks is a little misleading.
@@AlienNationLiveEvents I thought exactly the same. Also, in the UK an expecting Mother can choose to start her Maternity leave up to eleven weeks before the Baby is born, in order to rest and prepare for the Birth.
My daughter took 52 weeks maternity leave and then had at least 4 weeks paid holiday leave to take as well. Just because you're on Maternity leave doesn't mean you are not entitled to your accrued paid holiday leave. My daughters partner also had paid paternity leave for several weeks. Imagine the bond they both have with their daughter who is now 18 months old. My daughter also only works 3 days a week instead of the 4 days she did previously ( but she does longer hours each day.)
One of the many reasons we all laugh when we hear the boring nonsense "make America great again" also comments like "we don't want communism /socialism here (while not understanding they are not the same thing) you just let the super rich dictate to you while they watch their money pile grow bigger and bigger of the American peoples backs. You should all be saying "lets educate ourselves".
“How does it affect the employer” is that even a question? I'm in Kenya and no one here thinks about that, when the time comes the pregnant couple takes their leave and they are not expected back until several months later. It's just what we do. The remaining employees just pick up the slack. It's a culture where we support one another. Its the same for annual leave and sick leave
@elemar5 it means they have paternal leave and or parental leave so a mother can take the time to heal, and the dad can bond and care of the wife and the child at the same time (ideally)
@elemar5 It means parental leave where parents decide who get what out of the leave! I am Norwegian and we have 56 weeks of 100% paid parental leave and the parents decide! I think it is by law that the father have to take at least 3 months out of the 56 weeks now!
@elemar5 Yes, for legal purposes, the father and mother are the pregnant couple, both get full paid leave starting a few days before the baby is due to be born
It's been said before .... The Land Of The Free .... free to go bankrupt because you're sick, free to rush back to work having just had a baby (if you can afford to have one!), free to eat and drink added chemicals not necessary, free to be kept in ignorance of other countries during the education system. No wonder schools and colleges make such a fuss when pupils finish education!!! Do I need to go on? Nana Karen UK
But not free to have a drink before age 21, not free to cross the road without the green light. And not free to eat a Kinder egg. But free to carry AK-7's into the grocery store in some states.
Your focus on the employer and how it effects them is wild to me. You realise the rest of the world is making this work? It feels like such a US mentality to assume it's a massive problem. These questions ARE answered 😂. We're all doing it. Except the US. And we get much more leave in reality than this video shows.
The USA is a rich 3rd world country. The country is rich, not the people. On your first question: What would happen if an employee left? If a company is that weak then it deserves to fail.
I used to work in the UK for a high profile American company and when the big bosses would visit from LA I would calmly listen to their list of staff related instructions and then have to tell them that I would not be doing any of the things outlined because..... they were illegal and not permitted in the UK. Their expressions were priceless. Freedom is education and knowledge, not speeches and flag waiving. I have to commend you for trying to gain knowledge and educate yourself, but it requires the whole workforce to do this and then there would be no way they would be able to get away with this marked differences.
I think the lack of workers rights and the abominable lower paid contribute to the US being so wealthy. Add to that exorbitant medical charges. The great American dream hey
That's partly why Walmart failed in Germany; their approach towards managing staff, which was a copy-past of their practice in the US, was simply illegal. Your anecdote here reminds me of another one: I've worked for a large American employer in France. A team of their top HQ managers in the U.S. decided to pay a visit to the French subsiduary in early August. I'll never forget the embarassment of my American boss (but who had been living in France for many years) when he had to explain them it would be better to postpone their visit until September or later because most of the staff would be on vacation - and would not give up its vacation.
Don't forget that this didn't happen by accident or simply because it was asked for. Any work benefits were fought for with blood, sweat and tears - literally! You can also thank Britain for inventing the weekend. 😀
It is 100% up to the Employer to organise their business around any issue relating to employee absence, whether it be sick leave, holidays or maternity leave. They do receive Government compensation for many things such as paid maternity leave but the general rule of thumb here is that if you cannot run a profitable business around these issues, then you should probably not be running a business...
Yup. If your company has a "Bus Factor" of 1, you're either an extremely small business in which case most people will be happy to continue working part-time and such during pregnancy and the like provided you've treated them well and like partners in the business, or you're an awful manager. (Bus factor = "How many people need to be suddenly hit by a bus for your business to completely grind to a halt?". If your answer is "1", you've got problems.).
If an employer cannot afford to pay their employees correctly, plus provide adequate sick pay, maternity and paternity pay/ leave and enough time off during holidays etc, they just ought not have employees.
This whole thing is absolutely baffling. Not only is the lack of this basic human right in the US shocking, on top of US citizens having to go into debt to have a child, and potentially lose their job in the process, the fact you both questioned the impact of this right on the employer, shows how your environment has made you think about rights as inconveniences to the wealthy.
Imagine this scenario: a small business of 10 employees. One goes on paid maternity leave. The employer will be given the heads up months in advance that this is going to happen. The employer is fully compensated by the government for the wages paid to the employee on leave. The employer takes on a temp (using the money they would have paid to the employee on leave) until the employee returns to work. Employer is not out of pocket and a valued employee with experience returns to the business at the end of maternity leave. What's the problem?
In the UK small companies can reclaim 103% of statutory maternity pay from HMRC. Larger employers can reclaim 92% Statutory Maternity Pay is 90% of you average weekly earnings for the first 6 weeks, then the lower of that and £184.03 for the next 33 weeks. www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/pay#:~:text=Statutory%20Maternity%20Pay%20(%20SMP%20)%20is,for%20the%20next%2033%20weeks
@@reactingtomyroots Yes, as said by @allamagirl2679 my last sentence was pure banter and I did not intend it to be read as an aggressive comment. "What's the problem?" should read as if I'm shrugging my shoulders with open palms up. No offence was intended. I am female, I have been an employee as well as an employer. Maternity pay and time off is so normalised that any company large or small would not want to be accused of refusing or making it difficult for pregnant employees. It would reflect so badly on a business that they could lose both employees and customers as well as face large court fines. I love your videos. I'm learning so much about the USA just by watching your reactions to us. Please keep doing what your doing. 😄
Please listen to the video to avoid repeatedly asking the same question. She clearly explained it within the first minute of the video while filling out a tax form. The company recovers it in taxes, so it is deducted from the company's taxes.
@@mojojojo11811The vast majority of public NHS funding comes from general taxation AND National Insurance contributions. A small proportion of funding also comes from patient charges for services such as prescriptions and dental treatment… a tiny portion actually. But the original commenter was slightly correct. As you are slightly wrong. National insurance does contribute towards the nhs, along with tax.
@mojojojo11811 You are correct, we pay council tax if we own a hone, but the 3 kids of up to 28 and living within are not legally required. And even then it’s on the house owner!
@@historex54tamiya we pay council tax if you own your home or not we also have to start paying council tax for any children living at home over the age of 21
@@historex54tamiya We pay council tax whether we own the property or rent it. If it was just homeowners that paid council tax, there would be a lot more people still in social housing, who didn't buy their homes.
Just remember, every country in the world has figured this out except you, Papua New Guinea and three tiny Pacific islands. It's not difficult. The reason you don't have it is because you have been taught not to demand your rights.
One thing to note . Companies in the UK can not discriminate against any person who takes time off for pregnancy of sickness .if you took extra time off and the company fires the employe for taking the time off. They are breaking the law and face prosecution . Work rights in the UK have a lot of power and unfair dismissal can lead to prosecution. And heavy fines. It is very difficult for employers in the UK to just fire a member of staff. Companies have a set of disciplinary actions they have to follow. Such as verbal warnings. Written warning. And final notices. Unlike the US a boss can't just fire anyone because they have done something wrong. And if you are unfairly dismissed.you can take them to court. And if you win the case. The consequences are severe. In a way you really have to do a lot wrong to get fired. And if you have been with a company a long time it's even harder for the employer to dismiss a member of staff. And if you are off sick and had to take more time then expected then the employer can take no action until you return to work . If they do again it's unfair dismissal. The US almost has a blackmail system of threats to force staff to work or loose their jobs. The UK work rights protect staff against such behaviour. The work environment in the US would not be acceptable here in the UK no one would work for any US companies that threaten to fire staff if they take time of sick . Your system is designed to protect the ownership of companies and makes it easy to replace staff .making money is far more important then working rights.
You are wrong. You aren't paid for 52 weeks unless your employer has that policy. Standard pay is 39 weeks. You can take 52 weeks off but aren't paid for all.
What amazes me is that Americans do not understand that many of these corporations, like McDonalds for instance, operate successfully and profitably in other countries where they are required by law to provide the benefits that most of the rest of the world take for granted whilst denying them to their home country's employees
You've got to think about the employer is such an American mind set 😂if they can employ 10 prople, they can afford to temporarily employ someone to do a job lol
Steve, you seem to be misunderstanding how Maternity Leave works. In the UK at least the employer is reimbursed by the Government for the money they pay the mother while she is on leave. So her whole salary is available to pay for temporary cover. I assume that's what the 1% tax in California that was mentioned is used for too. Also,. this is out of date. In the UK you get 26 weeks of Ordinary Maternity leave and up to 26 weeks of Additional Maternity Leave. The leave can start up to 11 weeks before the birth but you have to take at least two weeks after the birth. In addition, many large companies offer improved benefits.
I said to an yank you don't even have healthcare! They replied. That's your opinion. I was like, no That's a fact mate... He said shook husband head and walked off.
The USA’s labour laws are truly horrific. I cannot come to terms with the idea of calling in a mother to work immediately after childbirth, on the threat of deducting her pay. And this isn’t hyperbole, it does happen.
We're talking about a country where in certain areas, they leave pregnant women to DIE rather than carry out a life saving termination of a dangerous pregnancy. They clearly don't give a toss about pregnant women.
In the UK it is actually illegal for a company to allow a woman to return to work within two weeks of giving birth, four weeks if she works in a factory.
@@gaiaiuliaI watched a video on YT a couple of weeks ago on health insurance rejections in the US one of them was a man who was having half his arm amputated but the insurance people said that anaesthesia was not medically required WTAF
In the Uk it's very common to see jobs advertised as something like 'temporary for 6 months/ a year, to cover maternity leave', or the company hires someone through an employment agency on a week by week or month by month basis. Obviously taking up a temporary position suits some people, either because they themselves are between other jobs, or just to gain experience or get a foot in the door. My first job on leaving university was a Maternity Leave cover for 9 months- and when the mother decided not to return to her job after all the post became mine as a permanant job. The costs for Maternity Leave are a mix of employer and government. Here we get up to 52 weeks maternity leave - not all of which is paid, but our jobs (or a similar role for the same employer) are secure for us to come back to.
Sorry Lindsay, you HAVE to make it mandatory by law. That way all Employers have to do it and there is a level playing field so none of them can duck out of it to claim an advantage. Here in the UK many Employers kicked and screamed against Paid Leave so the Government mandated it by law. Now virtually all of them see the advantages, not least because they have now benefited from it personally. 🙂
American citizens only have themselves to blame for such a parlous state! If they started to ask proper questions of their politicians before they elect them instead of voting for the richest guy on the block (or even worse, the one with the longest criminal record), they might start to get representatives who just might start to do something for their constituents!
It seems to be a personality contest rather than them actually voting for the party with the policies that will benefit them and the country as a whole.
But so many US people seem to equate the social welfare safety net and even decent working conditions with communism. We in Ireland have all these things, and you couldn't get further from communism than our system here.
@@gaiaiuliaI was just about to say this! As soon as anyone mentions helping your fellow man in the US, they start screaming communism! Blows my mind that they think Canada and the UK are communist countries 😅
@@gaiaiulia It shows you just how poorly they are educated - again their own fault for electing the wrong people as politicians. They don't realise that police and fire services are a socialist idea - they are funded by the government! Imagine the fire services demanding your credit card before putting out the fire, or the police demanding a cheque before investigating the crime (whoops, forgot in some states they do but for the WRONG reasons)!
@@belladonnichazeyjane4887 that has been perfectly encapsulated by the election of Donald Trump, imo. Big personality, shouts the odds, but it's all hot air. But people have gone for him hook, line and sinker.
It is a partisan issue beacause it IS left to the States and not federally controlled as in the rest of the world, it is not socialist or communist, it's humane.
😠😠😠 I would say its NOT a partisan issue _(because a HIGH percentage of workers, across all political groups, DO support the issue)._ Its a pure MONEY and GREED issue for businesses, the bigger of which PUMP money into supporting political parties financially. This is when they play their 'quid pro quo' card... And dissuade politicians from voting for certain issues which they perceive as COSTING business MONEY; _(sadly the 'Almighty Dollar' wins every time...!)._ 🤔 ☹☹☹
I'm on maternity leave at the moment, i work for the NHS, I had to use up my annual leave up before I went on maternity leave, from the 19th February 2024, my maternity leave started 4th March 2024. I've taken 12 months off and I've chosen to take my pay in equal amounts over the 12 months weeks- 9-39 weeks I get statutory maternity pay on top of my employers pay so I'm basically 2/3 of my full monthly pay and then I've got to use my annual leave before I'm back so I'm not back till 21st April 2025 when my son will be 13months (he was born 18th March 2024).
How it works for an employer that has maybe 5 employees is that the employer hires a temp to cover maternity leave. It's up to the employer to find cover for this time off.
I can’t believe how such a large economy is so old fashioned with thinking based in the 2800s. Steve your discussion at the end just summed up why the USA will remain stuck in the time of the homesteaders rather than moving into the 21st century
I'm from a nordic country. I had a full year of paid maternity leave and then 1.5 years of paid parental leave, so I got to stay with my kid for 2.5 years. You can stay up to their 3rd birthday. That time was invaluable to me. Same thing when I had cancer, I was out of work for about three months all together, fully paid. The government uses tax revenue to compensate the employer.
I am in Denmark and here it is kinda funded by the tax payers through a workmarket tax. So the only inconvenience for the employer is to find someone to cover it during the leave. This tax also covers work certifications, sick leave, etc.
I saw on another video that the reason why federal government won't change the law, even though 82% of the population want it, is because of lobby groups and the HUGE amounts of money that they pay to politicians to make sure that this sort of legislation does NOT pass.
The video is incorrect too. We received 90% of our income while on paternity or 155£ pw whichever is lower. It's funny how you care about the employer 😂
@cardbailey3130 ... Your figures are wrong. It's 52 weeks, the first 39 weeks paid at 90% of your weekly income or £184,03p a week (whichever is lower). Information from the UK government website. Although I understand that you may have been referring to you personally in the past when it was a lower payment.
Most of the world “just don’t get it” when it comes to the US. A lot of people look at America as an exercise in how NOT to run a country/treat your citizens. I’m so glad that you and a lot of Americans are learning about how unfair you are treated and that America isn’t as great as they lead you to believe.
This exactly. And I'd like to say (especially to Steve, as his comments are getting a lot of spirited responses here) that no-one here enjoys pointing these things out to you. When you're finding out the ways you in the US don't have it half so good as you're led to believe, we aren't telling you how good the rest of us have it so as to rub your noses in it, or mocking or gloating or anything in a nasty direction. We're telling you it because it's just, well, true, and so many of us are simply aghast at some of the things we're seeing about how your country treats you 😢
Yep. Whenever the Aussie government (normally our conservative party, the Liberal/National coalition) starts following the US example of things, it's immediately a bad sign.
Maternity leave is not just about bonding with your new baby. For the mother, it's about letting her body heal from growing this new life and the labour itself. Also if a mother is breastfeeding, she needs to be in a situation where she has as little stress as is possible.
You get far better productivity out of workers that enjoy paid leave, they come back refreshed ready to go knowing they can plan another holiday and just have a good life👍
The following is the UK government terms of maternity leave :- In the UK, employees who are legally classed as employees and are pregnant are entitled to up to 52 weeks of maternity leave: Pay You can receive Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) for up to 39 weeks. The first 6 weeks are 90% of your average weekly earnings (AWE) before tax, and the remaining 33 weeks are £184.03 or 90% of your AWE, whichever is lower. The "39" weeks (and no mention of pay) quoted in this vid is very outdated.
Croatia here, parents can split parental leave of one year with 100% pay by the government and employer have to find him self a new employee for that period of time
I posted earlier about how shocked i was at their final commentary. Coming back and reading all the comments it seems I'm not alone in that. Lyndsay you said you were looking forward to reading the comments, I'm wondering how you now feel? We watch on as you learn about the UK, Ireland and other Nations and love your reactions, but those final few comments made does show just how ingrained into someone's psyche this live to work attitude is in the USA. We so want you guys to come out of the 19th century and into the 21st, instead it seems only the wealthy employers still matter 😢😢😢
US politicians represent the corporations instead of the people. The people can't afford the millions of dollars required to buy government representation.
😠😠😠 Exactly ! And its NOT a partisan issue _(because a HIGH percentage of workers, across all political groups, support the issue)._ Its a pure MONEY and GREED issue for businesses, the bigger of which PUMP money into supporting political parties financially. This is when they play their 'quid pro quo' card... And dissuade politicians from voting for certain issues which they perceive as COSTING business MONEY; _(sadly the 'Almighty Dollar' wins every time...!)._ 🤔 ☹☹☹
In Norway you get 46 weeks at 100% pay or 61 weeks at 80%. What you pick will apply to both parents. The paid leave for the mother can start up to 12 weeks before the term, but minimum 3 weeks. First 6 weeks after birth is reserved for the mother and can not be combined with work or holiday. The father or partner have the right to 15 (100%) or 19 (80%) weeks of these 46/61 weeks at minimum. The pay is limited upwards to roughly 65k USD per year as of 2024. What you get is calculated from the past 3 months pay, or 3 years if the difference in those are more than 25%.
I worked as a civil Servant in Scotlanf. My son is 18 next week. I got full pay for 6 months. I then took a 2 year career break. This is unpaid but my job was kept open for me. My husband was given 4 weeks full pay by his employer.
I'm in the UK.Companies can advertise for maternity leave cover. The contract for the employee covering the job is temporary. I did this covering a position in a bank. A year later the person I was covering decided not to return to work and I was given the full time contract of employment.
Guys wake up! Every other country in the first world has figured out how to do this without bankrupting or limiting small businesses. In most cases some of it is government funded and some of it has to be carried as a cost of doing business and just like any other cost, if you can't do it, then you should not be in business. It's ironic in the land of the free market, how many businesses continue to operate despite the fact that the only way they can do it is by not living up to the social contract of society. In Europe it is very simple: If you are not able to live up to the social contract then you should not be in business and you won't be in business.
The problem is that in your country you allow big business to have too much influence in your politics, through the use of lobbying and party donations. I've seen videos that show that both parties often overwhelmingly agree that a particular policy should be introduced for the good of the workers. This never happens, because it would cost the businesses money, and their profit is more important than their workers lives, so they use their influence to ensure that a bill is never passed.
Steve, NEVER ever worry about the employer that is total bollocks to concern yourself about them. Because looking from outside of the US it appears they have a nullity attitude to all workers!! Other countries the employer have to abide by the regulations Nothing to do with the employee. I can now see why the US is in such a bloody awful mess with looking after its people, The people should be worrying about themselves not the bloody co-operate establishment who are getting away with robbery. The video is out of date UK has up to 52 weeks paid maternity with 26 weeks on full pay and 26 on half pay. Stay safe.
It's crazy seeing American's realise that so much of the rest of the world is about people, not just business interests, and that what they're told are freedoms is actually just "everyone for themselves". I think the size of the US and the fact most Americans hardly ever look at how the rest of the world does things plays a huge part in capitalists being able to treat Americans like crap.
Remember how you felt at the beginning of the video when you discovered that there were literally only a few other incredibly small countries that don't do this. Actually think about that, the rest of the world has had this figured out for decades by now. I remember I used to love watching the US version of undercover boss because the employer would often pay off medical debt, student loans and give them some paid time off like it was some kind of prize. It was only after watching many videos about workers rights in America that I realized other countries can't have that program, because their employees actually get decent workers rights as standard, and there are no medical debts and often no student debts to pay off. In fact someone once pointed out "breaking bad" wouldn't happen in most other countries because people out of work in most other countries are supported. I also can't help but wonder how many other American series wouldn't work in other countries for similar reasons.
Why should the employee feel grateful to the business when you said how does such leave hinder the employer? Surely this type of paid leave will benefit BOTH!
3 months??? This is what mothers get in Bulgaria, one of the poorest places in Europe. In Bulgaria, the employee is entitled to 410 days of paid maternity leave, starting 45 days before the delivery date of the child. During this period, the employee receives a monthly pay amounting to 90% of her normal salary, paid by the Bulgarian National Health Insurance Fund.
A Bulgarian currently in a maternity leave here! The first year is fully paid ( but capped, so 50% in my case, but still enough), + 50% of you maternity payments even if you decide to return to work before month 12. Free daycare after that, free cooked meals for the kids that you can pick up from a neighborhood kid kitchen run by the municipality. After the first year there is an option for 2 years of extra minimally paid maternity with your job guaranteed if you chose to. Also up to 4 IVF attempts paid by the government, tax breaks and some cash transferred to your bank account after the birth.
The employer just handles it by your colleagues taking on some of your responsibilities, (later you do the same for them), by hiring someone as a maternity hire, by reorganizing the work process etc. In all my jobs colleagues having babies was much celebrated, in one of my former companies we used to count the number of “company” babies and announce it the Christmas party as an achievement of sorts.
When I was a student, my way of getting into the industry I wanted to work in was doing a few 12 month maternity cover placements at companies. It's very common to see those advertised on job sites in the UK. Generally, if a business collapses because one person is absent - then it's a poorly run business, though. Like, maternity, paternity whatever - there are loads of reasons why someone might not turn up for work one day. What if they're sick, or the weather is bad and they can't travel for some reason?
Hi Guys , this is why it's important to know about the wider world . We can all learn an take ideas from each other to better our lives . 😊 Hope your well and keeping warm ❤
Where I work maternity pay = 90% av weekly earnings for 1st 26 wks, reduces over next 26 weeks; you can take the whole year but the last 13 weeks are unpaid. Staff coming back to work at any time from 0 - 12 mnths still get accrued leave so they could arrange to technically come back during the last 13 wks but take the years leave (& be paid). Annual leave is 30 - 33 days (exc Bank hols), so approx a month.
in UK entitled to 52 weeks of maternity leave. New mothers legally HAVE to take a minimum of 2 weeks after birth or 4 weeks if a factory worker/manual worker even if they dont want to they have to take it. first 6 weeks is minimum of 90% some employers will pay you 100%. next 33 weeks is 90% or £184.03 per week minimum, some employers will choose to pay you more. The last 13 weeks the employer does not have to pay you but some will. employers can reclaim up to 92% of what they have paid in maternity pay. small businesses can claim 103% ie more 3% than they have paid out . I am sure that there are lots of regulations/red tape regarding what employers can claim back. As a small business owner in the past I am so glad I never had to deal with maternity leave as losing 50% or workforce for a full year would have been very difficult.
@MaxineSmith027 In the USA, there is no VAT, no federal stamp duty, no federal inheritance tax, etc. And there is no national insurance 12% or 15% it's Medicare insurance which costs 1.45%
People make a big deal about the differences in statutory minima for sick pay, maternity pay, holiday allowance, etc. etc. between one country and another, and that’s important. But what is often not mentioned is that in the US It appears most employers stick pretty close to whatever minima you’ve do have, but in the UK, quite a large number of companies, not every one obviously, but many of the major ones go far beyond what they are legally required to do. I worked for the same company for 42 years and throughout that time I can’t think of a single piece of legislation which forced my employer to improve my terms and conditions because on every thing they were already exceeding the minimum stipulated by law.
Amazon and Costa ( just to name two ) haven't gone bankrupt here in the UK they thrive and pay maternity leave. Maternity is also offered to men and can be upto 52 weeks for a woman
The argument to promote parental leave should always start with: It is the right of the minor to be able to spend their first months with their parents. It is not a right of the parents, it is a right of the child.
The USA does not seem to be set up to benefit its citizens. Only the very wealthy. I value you Lindsay. You deserve paid maternity leave! The company you work for should pay its share of the maternity leave for you. Thank you for the video!
Video - the entire world has this right, it is good for humanity, but costs a little money. Americans - I think we should allow companies to choose if they provide this or not. What!?
It’s 52 weeks in the UK. And that’s *minimum*, most employers go beyond that - because that’s the culture here. You need regulation even more than we do because in your culture employers will always do the bare minimum.
Minimum in UK is that 39 weeks are paid some amount the rest of the 52 are unpaid. Of that 39 weeks 6 are at 90% of full pay and the remaining 33 are at £184 a week or 90% of your weekly earnings if that's less. Many places outdo this but 52 paid weeks is rare.
Lindsey, the problem with not regulating it for all businesses and doing it as a competition thing where good businesses do provide paid leave and bad ones don't, is that yes many can move to the good ones, but there'll always be people who have to work at the bad ones. It's a weird thing as someone outside the US seeing how subconsciously against regulation American's are. I mean that politely and not insulting. I think it's a developed mindset from living in a fundamentally capitalist country.
I have known of quite a senior employee take a year out on maternity leave, then return to work and almost immediately fall pregnant again, and then the same for a third time. Almost three years out within about four years. Employers have to accommodate it and build such things into the cost of running a business. In the US it just seems that any employer can do what they like to keep all of the $$$ and don't have to worry about staff welfare
Bottom line is corporate greed. Wherever Americans go this tends to be the number 1 priority. Just look at English football clubs with American owners. Sucked dry. Blows my mind how normal Americans allow it. If they introduced this to the UK there’d be wide scale riots.
No idea where the 39 weeks in this video came from. In the UK Mums get 52 weeks off if they want after giving birth and they can go on leave before the baby is born if they want to.
I’m a pay and pensions manager in the uk. Some employers pay enhanced maternity pay where a mother will get full pay for x weeks/months and half pay for x weeks/months. This is made up as a combination of statutory maternity pay and a top up of normal pay. Employers get to reclaim 92% of the statutory pay from their tax bill. The leave is 52 weeks and the minimum pay period is 39 weeks. On top of this a Mum still accrues paid annual leave. So many people can have five or six weeks paid holiday to extend their maternity leave. There’s also paternity leave and pay, shared parental leave for both parents to split the pay, bereavement leave and neonatal leave. I personally cannot imagine living in a country with so little employee benefits. The work life balance seems very unbalanced in the US.
When an employee goes on leave for a long period, the company will hire another worker temporarily to fill their role with a definite end date so the original worker can return and continue their job. Leave is factored in for a full time employee and the government subsidises the rest.
Yes and sick pay and holiday pay. You have no rights there and it's only just being noticed. Check Ed Edingers US workers rights. You'll be amazed even homeless in africa get more rights than US workers.
Correct. Nothing statutory. It depends on your employment contract. When we lived in the US, my wife got 3 months full pay after our child was born. Also 30 days paid holiday. So it varies a lot.
One thing employers don't realise is that new parents are tired! Tired workers may be a danger to themselves & others in the workplace, depending on the work they're doing!
The government pays the employer for the cost of parental leave. Our taxes cover it. And no, if you add up all the taxes paid, the US doesn't pay less in taxes.
Steve and Lindsay with all due respect as US citizens your country is in this mess because as this video shows you’re worrying about how businesses are going to pay for these basic fundamental rights that everyone else has. You’re not supposed to worry about those details, that is for the government -which you elect - and business to sort out between them. As a citizen all you have to do is demand these things from your government and let them sort it out the details that’s what you elect them for.
It not just paid parental leave but so many other things: healthcare, food and environmental regulation, gun control, etc basic things that other countries take for granted these things don’t get fixed because you’re worried about how corporations will cope. Don’t worry about it they be just fine.
You need to get corporate money out of your politics and start electing people that want to change your system.
Completely agree. Unfortunately it's the corporations that pour so much money into politics, and drive a lot of the news that's pumped out
1st thing I thought too. Although I love them both I must say. The "American Dream" is so ingrained in the populace they can't see what is going on.
Absolutely correct. Stop worrying about "forcing" companies. What do you think the rest of the world did. The US prioritises corporations over people, and that's what's wrong with it. The government can assist companies with tax breaks. They always could.
'the government -which you elect' this is part of the problem, also the Federal Machinations whereby different States have different Laws. The UNITED Kingdom isn't called that for a Laugh.......Same Laws/ Rules for ALL X
Also most Companies offer Much more Generous 'Benefits' for sickness, Paternaty/ Maternaty leave Etc.....than reported in the Clip.
If You are Sick/ Ill during leave, you can Claim back those Sickness Days!
It's fascinating how the American government keeps It's citizens SO SO ignorant of what other citizens around the world take for granted.!!
It's bad enough when governments here get voted in, then turn their backs on the folks who got them there, but, it's truly shocking that the Americans voted their politicians into power but then are not provided with the natural rights fought for and eventually received, due to people fighting to be treated well, and given the rights we deserve, not just what politicians want in order to line their own pockets and those of their rich donors.
Freedom....right..... ... right??
@@MargaretTindale What surprises me is that all this information is freely available on the net. People on the US seem to be either not interested in looking outside their country or too busy making a living to have the time to do in-depth research. These reaction videos are an eye-opener for those who watch them.
American bubble where corporate greed comes before people a country where everything is based upon how much money you have From an objective view point it is unfortunate that in America money is God and how everyone is complicit knowingly or not
Kinda like china 🇨🇳 🤔
What's most shocking is that you don't even know how you compare to the rest of the World - it's like you live in North Korea.
Hear Hear....it getting closer to n korea and Russia every day.
Even those in NK know where they stand, in the US they don't.
tbh peope in most countries got no idea how stuff works in other countries
This is more down to the sheer size of the US and the fact that most Americans see little reason to look outside at how other countries do things. Like most Americans holiday (vacation) just in a different US state. And all the time American's are told America is the best and is the land of the free. Many must just believe that and not realise it actually just means everyone for themselves, you're on your own. The same insular-ness in North Korea is of course instead achieved by control.
YES! I absolutely agree! The sheer size of the US and the fact that they have few borders with other countries contributes to their ... what is it .... ignorance? Even if a country on a border is hostile the huge, far more wealthy US would be able to squash them. In Europe, for example, countries are squashed together with both hostile and friendly nations so they have to get along..
Do you have to bother about the employer? No. The employer and the employee have to be concerned for themselves. It's not for the employees to be worried about whether or not the employer can provide maternity leave (for example). And most employers wouldn't be small businesses anyway, most are large and can easily absorb the finances.
In one of the US The Office episodes, the Warehouse demand to be allowed to have a Union (!!!!) and Jan threatens them by saying if they were allowed a Union the business would collapse and they'd lose their jobs.
This is along the same lines as wanting the government to provide health care. It seems that most Americans think that this would be 'socialism' and this makes them scared.
No wonder the US is so wealthy! Their government doesn't spend money out on health-care or things like Maternity Leave.
As a small employer in the UK, we just get a temp in to cover for any workers on extended leave. It's not a big deal but I did find it amusing how your first thought was "but how would this affect employers" not how are we so isolated from the rest of the world on this issue and what are we going to do about it. US citizens are so programmed it's crazy.
I agree - there seems to be a desire to protect employers rather than support workers.
They are brain washed into believing that their employer is king and you should be on your knees begging for scraps
Yep, it's that exact attitude they had that is the reason the US doesn't do it. Americans are so obsessed against the idea of the federal government taking charge on something the states aren't doing, they'd vote against their own interests. Shocking the first concern he had was about the employer.
I think both are fair questions. And...it's not so much that we believe our employer is "king" (as another commenter chimed in). It's more about the fact that we are more entrepreneurial minded and have considered starting a brick and mortar business, so we were curious how in societies that offer generous paternal leave, how that affects smaller businesses as well. Thanks for sharing your insight on that!
How small are you, and how on earth do you just "fire up" a temp for a key employee. I think you are a fibber and not at all a small employer. I've worked in small biz and multi-million huge biz.
Employers will take on temporary staff to cover the absence (UK)
UK also has up to 52 weeks paid maternity with 26 weeks on full pay and 26 on half pay so it's actually better than the blog describes, also men can get paternity too to help bond with the child.
Not providing maternity pay amounts to slavery
The government were planning to make zero hour contracts illegal, so this may no longer be an option.
Statutory rights are 39 weeks at statutory maternity pay and 13 weeks unpaid. There is no legal right to 26 weeks full,pay and 26 weeks half pay, that would be a companies choice to pay their staff in that fashion, although there aren't many that are that generous these days.
@@traceyliddle204Frances is pretty spectacular.
The first 6 weeks are paid at 90% of the average earnings. It drops significantly after this point to a maximum of £184.03 per week. If you're already earning less than 184.03 per week, the 90% holds.
Just to clarify Tracey and James's comments:
In the UK, the first 6 weeks of maternity leave is paid at 90% of the employee's average wage. The next 33 weeks are paid at £184.03 or 90% whichever is lower. The last 13 weeks is unpaid.
A company is, of course, free to pay more than this if it wants to, or to make some provision for those final 13 weeks. The government just won't fund this additional expense.
Bank Holidays (Public holidays) and annual leave entitlements accrue during maternity leave and can either be taken in lieu once the employee returns to work or paid at the employee's normal pay rate.
The employee is also guaranteed the same or similar role once they return.
It amazes me that your first question is how it affects the employer! Also, how you can even wonder about whether this should be Federally mandated!?! Your ignorance about how badly you are treated is frankly astounding. Dig further on these topics. You are so terribly treated in the US it is shocking
I was pretty shocked at that question too. He says at the end that we should care about how it affects the employer. Why? It also explains in the video itself that the company will get X amount back through taxes / reimbursement. Companies hire maternity cover. My manager is currently on mat leave, so I have a temporary manager while she's away. (I'm in the UK, for context). And yes, it should be federally mandated by the US government. I find some of the points of view and questions from some Americans truly baffling.
I was in disbelief when I heard that. I think US Citizens are brainwashed to think this way. I can’t see things changing much
But they are freeeeeee!
The main reason it's this way is because Americans think they are citizens of the usa ,it is quite obvious they are not, but are commodities of the usa , so the government does not have too look after them just consume them and replace .
😂 @@gerristaples3595
“How does it affect the employer” is the American attitude summed up. And that’s a huge differences between the U.K. and US. We pay taxes to protect pregnant women, fund the NHS and for vulnerable 7:56 people. Whereas in the states it seems more ‘each to their own’
They’re a business. The government reimburse them up to a certain point and then it’s up to them so they legally have to meet the minimum requirements of the legislation.
Most companies will then hire a ‘maternity cover’ to carry out the role for 9-12 months.
You also legally have to carry out a risk assessment on a pregnant person and follow up on any actions regularly. It could mean anything from increased breaks, a change of role completely if is too physically arduous.
It’s a very selfish mindset.
@@trevorcook4439
Whose?
The British way or the American way?
Another example of the American attitude summed up: "I don't know if this should be federally mandated."
@@trevorcook4439 my parents lived in Iowa for 5 years but moved back to have me as they were so worried about anything relating to law and money and safety and not the people ❤️
The problem with the USA is that you live to work whereas the rest of the world works to live (USA is run by corporations not the government)
Yeah, our culture definitely needs an overhaul on priorities!
100%! I lived there for 10 yrs and couldn't get over how everyone is just working all the bloody time. My ex only got 2 weeks paid holiday per year and I thought that was crazy but he told me that was actually good for the US. Plus he had a set amount of sick days! You cannot control how long you will be sick for. He had flu once and had to go into work as he'd used up all his days and vacation days. It was crazy! We ended up moving back to the UK for a better life!
Got to agree - once Trump starts his second autocracy Musk will be pulling his strings. Corporate run USA completed.
I love it when Americans try and justify their unfair system, like Steve always does.
It's a bit disheartening to hear at the end of that that your concussion is basically - it should be for employers to decide. Which is exactly the situation you're in now. Incentivising them won't work. They don't care about what's best for their workers, they care about money. That's why the government needs to provide those protections for the people.
For two intelligent people who seem to understand just how important it is to still basically side with the employers is just depressing. It's no wonder nothing ever seems to change for the better in the US when it comes to rights for the people. Workers in the US are getting shafted and they always will.
Completely, that’s exactly what they have now and the employers do as little as they can get away with
@@vaudevillian7 right.... for example food service employees are made to work but not given a proper wage, and rely on "tips".... that's called conditioning or brain washing.... the internet is right there~~
Indoctrination's a hell of a thing.
Your rhetoric Steve, is the reason why, America doesn't have paid family leave.
Exactly, I thought the same thing.
America! Start fighting for your rights... not grovelling for your 'benefits'.
They won't.
How sad that they won't take on the fight for these benefits that many other countries have....let's not even talk about health care 😮
Out of date video, UK 52 weeks maternity leave, most employers pay 6 months full pay 6 months half pay. Employers can claim back in tax breaks. Steve was concerned about the employer, and there is the problem.
Now it's normally is 90% for 9 months and optional reduced pay for last 3 months.
Not to my experience, in practice. The employee declares they are pregnant and a whole established procedure swings into place.
The employee gets shadowed while they are still able to work, transferring their skills to a stand in.
Stand ins have established themselves showing they have a good work record. Often that stand in will be retained by the company.
The government recompenses the employer for the extra money they are paying out.
When the employee returns to work you have someone who has established a home routine and has far less stress concerning how their child will thrive and be supported.
That employee retains a degree of allegiance to the company knowing that when the time came, support was there.
@@davebox588 yes, and in Northern Ireland we also have paternity leave for couple of weeks, and paid time off for pre natal appointments for expectant parents. I know there's also laws around fostering rights but I'm unsure of what they actually are, as I personally have never known anyone.
All the companies I've worked for (in the UK) have only paid statutory minimum maternity leave, so nothing at full pay. It's the reason I don't have children, sadly.
@@sparklybeast still shows how much change is still needed.
Slavery never ended in the USA, they changed the shackles form, it’s called debt.
I mean the whole tipping culture is a result of slavery.
After abolition business owners did not want to pay black employees who were the main group in the service industry, so tipping was introduced
The core reason for not having family leave was to stop blacks from being able to access it.
30% of appliances in the usa are made by convicts. That's one of the reasons why locking up people is really important there. More 17 year old black men in prison than in college is one fact off the top of my head.
My daughter in the UK and has just returned from maternity leave. She took 12 months off or 52 weeks. Her employer kept her job free because they have to. She also had accrued holiday entitlement as an extra.
Congratulations on becoming a Grandparemt.
Yes 52 weeks maternity leave in the UK is law to try ensure your job is safe. Companies often fill the position by advertising the job as maternity leave cover. The presenter in the video saying 39 weeks is a little misleading.
@@AlienNationLiveEvents I thought exactly the same. Also, in the UK an expecting Mother can choose to start her Maternity leave up to eleven weeks before the Baby is born, in order to rest and prepare for the Birth.
My daughter took 52 weeks maternity leave and then had at least 4 weeks paid holiday leave to take as well. Just because you're on Maternity leave doesn't mean you are not entitled to your accrued paid holiday leave. My daughters partner also had paid paternity leave for several weeks. Imagine the bond they both have with their daughter who is now 18 months old. My daughter also only works 3 days a week instead of the 4 days she did previously ( but she does longer hours each day.)
That's great! Congratulations to you all on your new bundle :)
One of the many reasons we all laugh when we hear the boring nonsense "make America great again" also comments like "we don't want communism /socialism here (while not understanding they are not the same thing) you just let the super rich dictate to you while they watch their money pile grow bigger and bigger of the American peoples backs. You should all be saying "lets educate ourselves".
Socialism is communism in children's clothing!!
Somebody needs to teach them how much they need educated...
“How does it affect the employer” is that even a question? I'm in Kenya and no one here thinks about that, when the time comes the pregnant couple takes their leave and they are not expected back until several months later. It's just what we do. The remaining employees just pick up the slack. It's a culture where we support one another. Its the same for annual leave and sick leave
Pregnant couple?
@elemar5 it means they have paternal leave and or parental leave so a mother can take the time to heal, and the dad can bond and care of the wife and the child at the same time (ideally)
@elemar5 It means parental leave where parents decide who get what out of the leave!
I am Norwegian and we have 56 weeks of 100% paid parental leave and the parents decide!
I think it is by law that the father have to take at least 3 months out of the 56 weeks now!
@elemar5 Yes, for legal purposes, the father and mother are the pregnant couple, both get full paid leave starting a few days before the baby is due to be born
It's been said before .... The Land Of The Free .... free to go bankrupt because you're sick, free to rush back to work having just had a baby (if you can afford to have one!), free to eat and drink added chemicals not necessary, free to be kept in ignorance of other countries during the education system. No wonder schools and colleges make such a fuss when pupils finish education!!! Do I need to go on? Nana Karen UK
But not free to have a drink before age 21, not free to cross the road without the green light. And not free to eat a Kinder egg.
But free to carry AK-7's into the grocery store in some states.
I think you mean LAND OF THE FEE!
Free to be mushrooms. Kept in the dark and fed on manure.
82% of voters may be in favour of paid leave, but your politicians are bought and paid for by big corporations who don't want this.
Your focus on the employer and how it effects them is wild to me. You realise the rest of the world is making this work? It feels like such a US mentality to assume it's a massive problem. These questions ARE answered 😂. We're all doing it. Except the US. And we get much more leave in reality than this video shows.
Well I assume they are self employed or run small businesses and this would affect them.
The USA is a rich 3rd world country. The country is rich, not the people.
On your first question: What would happen if an employee left? If a company is that weak then it deserves to fail.
I've always called it a 2nd world country.
@jessbellis9510 2nd world countries still have healthcare and maternity leave
I used to work in the UK for a high profile American company and when the big bosses would visit from LA I would calmly listen to their list of staff related instructions and then have to tell them that I would not be doing any of the things outlined because..... they were illegal and not permitted in the UK. Their expressions were priceless.
Freedom is education and knowledge, not speeches and flag waiving. I have to commend you for trying to gain knowledge and educate yourself, but it requires the whole workforce to do this and then there would be no way they would be able to get away with this marked differences.
Perfectly put ❤
I think the lack of workers rights and the abominable lower paid contribute to the US being so wealthy. Add to that exorbitant medical charges. The great American dream hey
That's partly why Walmart failed in Germany; their approach towards managing staff, which was a copy-past of their practice in the US, was simply illegal.
Your anecdote here reminds me of another one: I've worked for a large American employer in France. A team of their top HQ managers in the U.S. decided to pay a visit to the French subsiduary in early August. I'll never forget the embarassment of my American boss (but who had been living in France for many years) when he had to explain them it would be better to postpone their visit until September or later because most of the staff would be on vacation - and would not give up its vacation.
@jfrancobelge yep thats why Walmart failed in Australia too - many of their management practices would be straight up illegal.
Don't forget that this didn't happen by accident or simply because it was asked for. Any work benefits were fought for with blood, sweat and tears - literally!
You can also thank Britain for inventing the weekend. 😀
Thankyou for 'by accident"'as opposed to the American "on accident" which has me suffering high blood pressure...!!
@@brigidsingleton1596 😉
@@brigidsingleton1596 Oh yay!! I am not alone in the world! LOL.
@@sharonmartin4036 Certainly not. There are MANY of us.
@@brigidsingleton1596
I came looking for this comment... 👍👍👍
It is 100% up to the Employer to organise their business around any issue relating to employee absence, whether it be sick leave, holidays or maternity leave. They do receive Government compensation for many things such as paid maternity leave but the general rule of thumb here is that if you cannot run a profitable business around these issues, then you should probably not be running a business...
Yup. If your company has a "Bus Factor" of 1, you're either an extremely small business in which case most people will be happy to continue working part-time and such during pregnancy and the like provided you've treated them well and like partners in the business, or you're an awful manager.
(Bus factor = "How many people need to be suddenly hit by a bus for your business to completely grind to a halt?". If your answer is "1", you've got problems.).
If an employer cannot afford to pay their employees correctly, plus provide adequate sick pay, maternity and paternity pay/ leave and enough time off during holidays etc, they just ought not have employees.
This whole thing is absolutely baffling. Not only is the lack of this basic human right in the US shocking, on top of US citizens having to go into debt to have a child, and potentially lose their job in the process, the fact you both questioned the impact of this right on the employer, shows how your environment has made you think about rights as inconveniences to the wealthy.
Imagine this scenario: a small business of 10 employees. One goes on paid maternity leave.
The employer will be given the heads up months in advance that this is going to happen.
The employer is fully compensated by the government for the wages paid to the employee on leave.
The employer takes on a temp (using the money they would have paid to the employee on leave) until the employee returns to work.
Employer is not out of pocket and a valued employee with experience returns to the business at the end of maternity leave.
What's the problem?
Exactly - a few poor employers still discriminate against women using horrible expressions like maternity risk but it’s rare now thankfully
In the UK small companies can reclaim 103% of statutory maternity pay from HMRC. Larger employers can reclaim 92%
Statutory Maternity Pay is 90% of you average weekly earnings for the first 6 weeks, then the lower of that and £184.03 for the next 33 weeks.
www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/pay#:~:text=Statutory%20Maternity%20Pay%20(%20SMP%20)%20is,for%20the%20next%2033%20weeks
No problem...we were simply wondering how it worked and if said business was compensated. If what you're saying is accurate, then that sounds great!
@@reactingtomyrootsThat person who made that comment wasn't serious when he said what's the problem, it was banter.
@@reactingtomyroots Yes, as said by @allamagirl2679 my last sentence was pure banter and I did not intend it to be read as an aggressive comment. "What's the problem?" should read as if I'm shrugging my shoulders with open palms up. No offence was intended.
I am female, I have been an employee as well as an employer. Maternity pay and time off is so normalised that any company large or small would not want to be accused of refusing or making it difficult for pregnant employees. It would reflect so badly on a business that they could lose both employees and customers as well as face large court fines.
I love your videos. I'm learning so much about the USA just by watching your reactions to us. Please keep doing what your doing. 😄
Please listen to the video to avoid repeatedly asking the same question. She clearly explained it within the first minute of the video while filling out a tax form. The company recovers it in taxes, so it is deducted from the company's taxes.
This is why we pay National insurance ....its not just for the NHS
@@mojojojo11811The vast majority of public NHS funding comes from general taxation AND National Insurance contributions. A small proportion of funding also comes from patient charges for services such as prescriptions and dental treatment… a tiny portion actually. But the original commenter was slightly correct. As you are slightly wrong. National insurance does contribute towards the nhs, along with tax.
Exactly. Same here in Ireland.
@mojojojo11811
You are correct, we pay council tax if we own a hone, but the 3 kids of up to 28 and living within are not legally required.
And even then it’s on the house owner!
@@historex54tamiya we pay council tax if you own your home or not we also have to start paying council tax for any children living at home over the age of 21
@@historex54tamiya We pay council tax whether we own the property or rent it. If it was just homeowners that paid council tax, there would be a lot more people still in social housing, who didn't buy their homes.
Just remember, every country in the world has figured this out except you, Papua New Guinea and three tiny Pacific islands. It's not difficult. The reason you don't have it is because you have been taught not to demand your rights.
but ..but its the land of the free.......sorry ,trying not to laugh
@@mojojojo11811 And bibles.
@@mojojojo11811 Why don't they actually fight for their rights then? XD
One thing to note . Companies in the UK can not discriminate against any person who takes time off for pregnancy of sickness .if you took extra time off and the company fires the employe for taking the time off. They are breaking the law and face prosecution . Work rights in the UK have a lot of power and unfair dismissal can lead to prosecution. And heavy fines. It is very difficult for employers in the UK to just fire a member of staff. Companies have a set of disciplinary actions they have to follow. Such as verbal warnings. Written warning. And final notices. Unlike the US a boss can't just fire anyone because they have done something wrong. And if you are unfairly dismissed.you can take them to court. And if you win the case. The consequences are severe. In a way you really have to do a lot wrong to get fired. And if you have been with a company a long time it's even harder for the employer to dismiss a member of staff. And if you are off sick and had to take more time then expected then the employer can take no action until you return to work . If they do again it's unfair dismissal. The US almost has a blackmail system of threats to force staff to work or loose their jobs. The UK work rights protect staff against such behaviour. The work environment in the US would not be acceptable here in the UK no one would work for any US companies that threaten to fire staff if they take time of sick . Your system is designed to protect the ownership of companies and makes it easy to replace staff .making money is far more important then working rights.
This is a bit out of date - in the UK we can take 52 weeks.
My daughter took 52 weeks plus her holiday leave on 80% of her salary
Even better then! :)
You are wrong. You aren't paid for 52 weeks unless your employer has that policy. Standard pay is 39 weeks. You can take 52 weeks off but aren't paid for all.
What amazes me is that Americans do not understand that many of these corporations, like McDonalds for instance, operate successfully and profitably in other countries where they are required by law to provide the benefits that most of the rest of the world take for granted whilst denying them to their home country's employees
You've got to think about the employer is such an American mind set 😂if they can employ 10 prople, they can afford to temporarily employ someone to do a job lol
Steve, you seem to be misunderstanding how Maternity Leave works. In the UK at least the employer is reimbursed by the Government for the money they pay the mother while she is on leave. So her whole salary is available to pay for temporary cover. I assume that's what the 1% tax in California that was mentioned is used for too.
Also,. this is out of date. In the UK you get 26 weeks of Ordinary Maternity leave and up to 26 weeks of Additional Maternity Leave.
The leave can start up to 11 weeks before the birth but you have to take at least two weeks after the birth.
In addition, many large companies offer improved benefits.
The Employer is reimbursed by taxpayers money, the Government is just the money handler.
You can tell why the rest of the world thinks Americans laws are bonkers when you see things like this 😢
And when one of the first concerns they have is 'but how will it affect the employer!?'
@belladonnichazeyjane4887 that was absolutely insane, like who cares?? Lmao
@@belladonnichazeyjane4887 ... Sadly that's when you realise that those in the "land of the free" have truly been lied to.
“Greatest country in the world “!Oh you’ve got to laugh.
I said to an yank you don't even have healthcare!
They replied. That's your opinion.
I was like, no That's a fact mate...
He said shook husband head and walked off.
The USA’s labour laws are truly horrific. I cannot come to terms with the idea of calling in a mother to work immediately after childbirth, on the threat of deducting her pay. And this isn’t hyperbole, it does happen.
Or refusing her extra care because her "health" insurance refuses it because it's unnecessary.
We're talking about a country where in certain areas, they leave pregnant women to DIE rather than carry out a life saving termination of a dangerous pregnancy. They clearly don't give a toss about pregnant women.
In the UK it is actually illegal for a company to allow a woman to return to work within two weeks of giving birth, four weeks if she works in a factory.
@@gaiaiuliaI watched a video on YT a couple of weeks ago on health insurance rejections in the US one of them was a man who was having half his arm amputated but the insurance people said that anaesthesia was not medically required WTAF
In the Uk it's very common to see jobs advertised as something like 'temporary for 6 months/ a year, to cover maternity leave', or the company hires someone through an employment agency on a week by week or month by month basis. Obviously taking up a temporary position suits some people, either because they themselves are between other jobs, or just to gain experience or get a foot in the door. My first job on leaving university was a Maternity Leave cover for 9 months- and when the mother decided not to return to her job after all the post became mine as a permanant job.
The costs for Maternity Leave are a mix of employer and government.
Here we get up to 52 weeks maternity leave - not all of which is paid, but our jobs (or a similar role for the same employer) are secure for us to come back to.
1%
@@thomaslawley7444 What is 1%?
Sorry Lindsay, you HAVE to make it mandatory by law. That way all Employers have to do it and there is a level playing field so none of them can duck out of it to claim an advantage. Here in the UK many Employers kicked and screamed against Paid Leave so the Government mandated it by law. Now virtually all of them see the advantages, not least because they have now benefited from it personally. 🙂
American citizens only have themselves to blame for such a parlous state! If they started to ask proper questions of their politicians before they elect them instead of voting for the richest guy on the block (or even worse, the one with the longest criminal record), they might start to get representatives who just might start to do something for their constituents!
It seems to be a personality contest rather than them actually voting for the party with the policies that will benefit them and the country as a whole.
But so many US people seem to equate the social welfare safety net and even decent working conditions with communism. We in Ireland have all these things, and you couldn't get further from communism than our system here.
@@gaiaiuliaI was just about to say this! As soon as anyone mentions helping your fellow man in the US, they start screaming communism! Blows my mind that they think Canada and the UK are communist countries 😅
@@gaiaiulia It shows you just how poorly they are educated - again their own fault for electing the wrong people as politicians. They don't realise that police and fire services are a socialist idea - they are funded by the government! Imagine the fire services demanding your credit card before putting out the fire, or the police demanding a cheque before investigating the crime (whoops, forgot in some states they do but for the WRONG reasons)!
@@belladonnichazeyjane4887 that has been perfectly encapsulated by the election of Donald Trump, imo. Big personality, shouts the odds, but it's all hot air. But people have gone for him hook, line and sinker.
It is a partisan issue beacause it IS left to the States and not federally controlled as in the rest of the world, it is not socialist or communist, it's humane.
😠😠😠 I would say its NOT a partisan issue _(because a HIGH percentage of workers, across all political groups, DO support the issue)._ Its a pure MONEY and GREED issue for businesses, the bigger of which PUMP money into supporting political parties financially. This is when they play their 'quid pro quo' card... And dissuade politicians from voting for certain issues which they perceive as COSTING business MONEY; _(sadly the 'Almighty Dollar' wins every time...!)._ 🤔 ☹☹☹
I'm on maternity leave at the moment, i work for the NHS, I had to use up my annual leave up before I went on maternity leave, from the 19th February 2024, my maternity leave started 4th March 2024. I've taken 12 months off and I've chosen to take my pay in equal amounts over the 12 months weeks- 9-39 weeks I get statutory maternity pay on top of my employers pay so I'm basically 2/3 of my full monthly pay and then I've got to use my annual leave before I'm back so I'm not back till 21st April 2025 when my son will be 13months (he was born 18th March 2024).
How it works for an employer that has maybe 5 employees is that the employer hires a temp to cover maternity leave. It's up to the employer to find cover for this time off.
I can’t believe how such a large economy is so old fashioned with thinking based in the 2800s. Steve your discussion at the end just summed up why the USA will remain stuck in the time of the homesteaders rather than moving into the 21st century
Parental leave is probably more of a conservative measure as its pro family ,i would argue that its progressiveness in the US is the blame.
*1800's ? (...we've only just entered 2025, nowhere near 2800's yet?!!)
@@brigidsingleton1596 Maybe someone has a time machine..
Don't forget how much you have to spend on medical expenses to have the baby in the first place!
I'm from a nordic country. I had a full year of paid maternity leave and then 1.5 years of paid parental leave, so I got to stay with my kid for 2.5 years. You can stay up to their 3rd birthday. That time was invaluable to me. Same thing when I had cancer, I was out of work for about three months all together, fully paid. The government uses tax revenue to compensate the employer.
Just to add, in the UK there are similar statutory leave and pay benefits for those who adopt a child as well.
The amounts for the UK are the minimum. My last employer gave 52 weeks maternity leave on full pay.
I am in Denmark and here it is kinda funded by the tax payers through a workmarket tax. So the only inconvenience for the employer is to find someone to cover it during the leave. This tax also covers work certifications, sick leave, etc.
I saw on another video that the reason why federal government won't change the law, even though 82% of the population want it, is because of lobby groups and the HUGE amounts of money that they pay to politicians to make sure that this sort of legislation does NOT pass.
@@veaton77 exactly, the system is corrupt, and then you get more corruption.
The video is incorrect too. We received 90% of our income while on paternity or 155£ pw whichever is lower. It's funny how you care about the employer 😂
Brainwashing. Americans are taught that only the employer matters.
I found that fascinating too, how their first thought was how the employer would cope! Shows you how different the mentality is in the US.
*£_____ (rather than _____£).
@cardbailey3130 ... Your figures are wrong. It's 52 weeks, the first 39 weeks paid at 90% of your weekly income or £184,03p a week (whichever is lower). Information from the UK government website. Although I understand that you may have been referring to you personally in the past when it was a lower payment.
@martinwebb1681 It's been a while since I was sick, my point is it's not zero🤣
Most of the world “just don’t get it” when it comes to the US. A lot of people look at America as an exercise in how NOT to run a country/treat your citizens. I’m so glad that you and a lot of Americans are learning about how unfair you are treated and that America isn’t as great as they lead you to believe.
This exactly. And I'd like to say (especially to Steve, as his comments are getting a lot of spirited responses here) that no-one here enjoys pointing these things out to you.
When you're finding out the ways you in the US don't have it half so good as you're led to believe, we aren't telling you how good the rest of us have it so as to rub your noses in it, or mocking or gloating or anything in a nasty direction. We're telling you it because it's just, well, true, and so many of us are simply aghast at some of the things we're seeing about how your country treats you 😢
@@transmission3143 ... Exactly, what I have seen of the American dream is ghastly and they can keep it, they're welcome to it.
Yep. Whenever the Aussie government (normally our conservative party, the Liberal/National coalition) starts following the US example of things, it's immediately a bad sign.
Maternity leave is not just about bonding with your new baby. For the mother, it's about letting her body heal from growing this new life and the labour itself. Also if a mother is breastfeeding, she needs to be in a situation where she has as little stress as is possible.
You get far better productivity out of workers that enjoy paid leave, they come back refreshed ready to go knowing they can plan another holiday and just have a good life👍
America lives in-the 19th century when it comes to the rights of the working people .
The following is the UK government terms of maternity leave :-
In the UK, employees who are legally classed as employees and are pregnant are entitled to up to 52 weeks of maternity leave:
Pay
You can receive Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) for up to 39 weeks. The first 6 weeks are 90% of your average weekly earnings (AWE) before tax, and the remaining 33 weeks are £184.03 or 90% of your AWE, whichever is lower.
The "39" weeks (and no mention of pay) quoted in this vid is very outdated.
Croatia here, parents can split parental leave of one year with 100% pay by the government and employer have to find him self a new employee for that period of time
I posted earlier about how shocked i was at their final commentary.
Coming back and reading all the comments it seems I'm not alone in that.
Lyndsay you said you were looking forward to reading the comments, I'm wondering how you now feel?
We watch on as you learn about the UK, Ireland and other Nations and love your reactions, but those final few comments made does show just how ingrained into someone's psyche this live to work attitude is in the USA.
We so want you guys to come out of the 19th century and into the 21st, instead it seems only the wealthy employers still matter 😢😢😢
82% of people fpr it but 100% corporations against it, guess who wins.
US politicians represent the corporations instead of the people. The people can't afford the millions of dollars required to buy government representation.
The only thing that matters in the US is money; for the few and not for the many.
😠😠😠 Exactly ! And its NOT a partisan issue _(because a HIGH percentage of workers, across all political groups, support the issue)._ Its a pure MONEY and GREED issue for businesses, the bigger of which PUMP money into supporting political parties financially. This is when they play their 'quid pro quo' card... And dissuade politicians from voting for certain issues which they perceive as COSTING business MONEY; _(sadly the 'Almighty Dollar' wins every time...!)._ 🤔 ☹☹☹
In Norway you get 46 weeks at 100% pay or 61 weeks at 80%. What you pick will apply to both parents.
The paid leave for the mother can start up to 12 weeks before the term, but minimum 3 weeks. First 6 weeks after birth is reserved for the mother and can not be combined with work or holiday.
The father or partner have the right to 15 (100%) or 19 (80%) weeks of these 46/61 weeks at minimum.
The pay is limited upwards to roughly 65k USD per year as of 2024. What you get is calculated from the past 3 months pay, or 3 years if the difference in those are more than 25%.
"Why other countries treat their citizens so much better" is a must watch.
I worked as a civil Servant in Scotlanf. My son is 18 next week. I got full pay for 6 months. I then took a 2 year career break. This is unpaid but my job was kept open for me. My husband was given 4 weeks full pay by his employer.
The employer will usually get an agency worker in to cover the workers absence.
I'm in the UK and took 12 months maternity leave, 9 months full pay and the rest statutory maternity pay.
My D was the same but then got pregnant again just as she went back so went back then got another 12 months off agin with full pay.
That's well above basic. SMP is 0 for the last three months. Sound like your employer was generous.
@@RollerbazAndCoasterDad and she resigned because they wouldn’t let her reduce her hours. Crazy.
I'm in the UK.Companies can advertise for maternity leave cover. The contract for the employee covering the job is temporary. I did this covering a position in a bank. A year later the person I was covering decided not to return to work and I was given the full time contract of employment.
I live in the UK, my daughter has just had a baby, and her husband has 6 months paid leave, and she has 12 months off.
How on earth did her husband get 6 months paid leave ? Thats crazy x
@Andreaod73lol why is it crazy. We live in the real world.
It's his companies paternity package
@ blimey he’s very lucky !
@@Avfc-m4w it’s crazy compared to the norm !!! Average is 2 wks !!
Guys wake up! Every other country in the first world has figured out how to do this without bankrupting or limiting small businesses. In most cases some of it is government funded and some of it has to be carried as a cost of doing business and just like any other cost, if you can't do it, then you should not be in business.
It's ironic in the land of the free market, how many businesses continue to operate despite the fact that the only way they can do it is by not living up to the social contract of society. In Europe it is very simple: If you are not able to live up to the social contract then you should not be in business and you won't be in business.
The problem is that in your country you allow big business to have too much influence in your politics, through the use of lobbying and party donations. I've seen videos that show that both parties often overwhelmingly agree that a particular policy should be introduced for the good of the workers. This never happens, because it would cost the businesses money, and their profit is more important than their workers lives, so they use their influence to ensure that a bill is never passed.
Steve's statements about the employer just highlighted how propaganized American citizens. Sheeesh!!!
Steve, NEVER ever worry about the employer that is total bollocks to concern yourself about them. Because looking from outside of the US it appears they have a nullity attitude to all workers!! Other countries the employer have to abide by the regulations Nothing to do with the employee. I can now see why the US is in such a bloody awful mess with looking after its people, The people should be worrying about themselves not the bloody co-operate establishment who are getting away with robbery. The video is out of date UK has up to 52 weeks paid maternity with 26 weeks on full pay and 26 on half pay. Stay safe.
It's crazy seeing American's realise that so much of the rest of the world is about people, not just business interests, and that what they're told are freedoms is actually just "everyone for themselves". I think the size of the US and the fact most Americans hardly ever look at how the rest of the world does things plays a huge part in capitalists being able to treat Americans like crap.
Remember how you felt at the beginning of the video when you discovered that there were literally only a few other incredibly small countries that don't do this. Actually think about that, the rest of the world has had this figured out for decades by now.
I remember I used to love watching the US version of undercover boss because the employer would often pay off medical debt, student loans and give them some paid time off like it was some kind of prize. It was only after watching many videos about workers rights in America that I realized other countries can't have that program, because their employees actually get decent workers rights as standard, and there are no medical debts and often no student debts to pay off. In fact someone once pointed out "breaking bad" wouldn't happen in most other countries because people out of work in most other countries are supported. I also can't help but wonder how many other American series wouldn't work in other countries for similar reasons.
I'm glad I'm not the only person who looked at Breaking Bad and thought "that'd never have happened if he was on the NHS" 😂
Why should the employee feel grateful to the business when you said how does such leave hinder the employer? Surely this type of paid leave will benefit BOTH!
Never ceases to amaze me how terribly workers in the US are treated Re. stuff like this.
3 months??? This is what mothers get in Bulgaria, one of the poorest places in Europe. In Bulgaria, the employee is entitled to 410 days of paid maternity leave, starting 45 days before the delivery date of the child. During this period, the employee receives a monthly pay amounting to 90% of her normal salary, paid by the Bulgarian National Health Insurance Fund.
A Bulgarian currently in a maternity leave here! The first year is fully paid ( but capped, so 50% in my case, but still enough), + 50% of you maternity payments even if you decide to return to work before month 12. Free daycare after that, free cooked meals for the kids that you can pick up from a neighborhood kid kitchen run by the municipality. After the first year there is an option for 2 years of extra minimally paid maternity with your job guaranteed if you chose to. Also up to 4 IVF attempts paid by the government, tax breaks and some cash transferred to your bank account after the birth.
The employer just handles it by your colleagues taking on some of your responsibilities, (later you do the same for them), by hiring someone as a maternity hire, by reorganizing the work process etc. In all my jobs colleagues having babies was much celebrated, in one of my former companies we used to count the number of “company” babies and announce it the Christmas party as an achievement of sorts.
When I was a student, my way of getting into the industry I wanted to work in was doing a few 12 month maternity cover placements at companies. It's very common to see those advertised on job sites in the UK.
Generally, if a business collapses because one person is absent - then it's a poorly run business, though. Like, maternity, paternity whatever - there are loads of reasons why someone might not turn up for work one day. What if they're sick, or the weather is bad and they can't travel for some reason?
Hi Guys , this is why it's important to know about the wider world . We can all learn an take ideas from each other to better our lives . 😊 Hope your well and keeping warm ❤
Steve...rather than discovering your roots, it would seem that you're learning the harsh truth about your own country!
Where I work maternity pay = 90% av weekly earnings for 1st 26 wks, reduces over next 26 weeks; you can take the whole year but the last 13 weeks are unpaid. Staff coming back to work at any time from 0 - 12 mnths still get accrued leave so they could arrange to technically come back during the last 13 wks but take the years leave (& be paid). Annual leave is 30 - 33 days (exc Bank hols), so approx a month.
in UK entitled to 52 weeks of maternity leave. New mothers legally HAVE to take a minimum of 2 weeks after birth or 4 weeks if a factory worker/manual worker even if they dont want to they have to take it.
first 6 weeks is minimum of 90% some employers will pay you 100%. next 33 weeks is 90% or £184.03 per week minimum, some employers will choose to pay you more. The last 13 weeks the employer does not have to pay you but some will.
employers can reclaim up to 92% of what they have paid in maternity pay. small businesses can claim 103% ie more 3% than they have paid out . I am sure that there are lots of regulations/red tape regarding what employers can claim back. As a small business owner in the past I am so glad I never had to deal with maternity leave as losing 50% or workforce for a full year would have been very difficult.
Wow. "You have to think of the employer" USA is not a Country it's a Buisness.
Crazy isn't it, the amount that their citizens have been brain washed.
In England, the first six weeks of maternity pay is 90% of your wage.
6 months.
@bluebird1109 nope, check the Government website, only the first six weeks at 90%
@@MaxineSmith027 May depend on your status and employer but I've never worked for one who paid less than this.
@MaxineSmith027 In the USA, there is no VAT, no federal stamp duty, no federal inheritance tax, etc.
And there is no national insurance 12% or 15% it's Medicare insurance which costs 1.45%
@hydra_ger err, thanks for that info I didnt ask for and wasn't discussing. I was just correcting the information at the beginning of the video.
It is absolutely TRUE! the land of the FREE??? The UK is now 52 weeks with 90% pay
Obviously 'freedom' costs money...
People make a big deal about the differences in statutory minima for sick pay, maternity pay, holiday allowance, etc. etc. between one country and another, and that’s important. But what is often not mentioned is that in the US It appears most employers stick pretty close to whatever minima you’ve do have, but in the UK, quite a large number of companies, not every one obviously, but many of the major ones go far beyond what they are legally required to do. I worked for the same company for 42 years and throughout that time I can’t think of a single piece of legislation which forced my employer to improve my terms and conditions because on every thing they were already exceeding the minimum stipulated by law.
100%
Amazon and Costa ( just to name two ) haven't gone bankrupt here in the UK they thrive and pay maternity leave.
Maternity is also offered to men and can be upto 52 weeks for a woman
The argument to promote parental leave should always start with: It is the right of the minor to be able to spend their first months with their parents. It is not a right of the parents, it is a right of the child.
The USA does not seem to be set up to benefit its citizens. Only the very wealthy. I value you Lindsay. You deserve paid maternity leave! The company you work for should pay its share of the maternity leave for you. Thank you for the video!
Video - the entire world has this right, it is good for humanity, but costs a little money.
Americans - I think we should allow companies to choose if they provide this or not.
What!?
It’s 52 weeks in the UK. And that’s *minimum*, most employers go beyond that - because that’s the culture here. You need regulation even more than we do because in your culture employers will always do the bare minimum.
Minimum in UK is that 39 weeks are paid some amount the rest of the 52 are unpaid. Of that 39 weeks 6 are at 90% of full pay and the remaining 33 are at £184 a week or 90% of your weekly earnings if that's less. Many places outdo this but 52 paid weeks is rare.
Lindsey, the problem with not regulating it for all businesses and doing it as a competition thing where good businesses do provide paid leave and bad ones don't, is that yes many can move to the good ones, but there'll always be people who have to work at the bad ones. It's a weird thing as someone outside the US seeing how subconsciously against regulation American's are. I mean that politely and not insulting. I think it's a developed mindset from living in a fundamentally capitalist country.
I have known of quite a senior employee take a year out on maternity leave, then return to work and almost immediately fall pregnant again, and then the same for a third time. Almost three years out within about four years. Employers have to accommodate it and build such things into the cost of running a business. In the US it just seems that any employer can do what they like to keep all of the $$$ and don't have to worry about staff welfare
Bottom line is corporate greed. Wherever Americans go this tends to be the number 1 priority. Just look at English football clubs with American owners. Sucked dry. Blows my mind how normal Americans allow it. If they introduced this to the UK there’d be wide scale riots.
Small companies would probably get in contact with a Temp Agency, just to cover the woman on maternity leave.
No idea where the 39 weeks in this video came from. In the UK Mums get 52 weeks off if they want after giving birth and they can go on leave before the baby is born if they want to.
Yes, 52 weeks off although 39 weeks of that is paid leave, 39 weeks paid at 90% of the weekly wage or £184.03 a week (whichever is less).
Great video 👍 It's about time the average American gets this information 😊
I’m a pay and pensions manager in the uk. Some employers pay enhanced maternity pay where a mother will get full pay for x weeks/months and half pay for x weeks/months. This is made up as a combination of statutory maternity pay and a top up of normal pay. Employers get to reclaim 92% of the statutory pay from their tax bill. The leave is 52 weeks and the minimum pay period is 39 weeks. On top of this a
Mum still accrues paid annual leave. So many people can have five or six weeks paid holiday to extend their maternity leave. There’s also paternity leave and pay, shared parental leave for both parents to split the pay, bereavement leave and neonatal leave. I personally cannot imagine living in a country with so little employee benefits. The work life balance seems very unbalanced in the US.
When an employee goes on leave for a long period, the company will hire another worker temporarily to fill their role with a definite end date so the original worker can return and continue their job. Leave is factored in for a full time employee and the government subsidises the rest.
wait you guys don't have paid maternity leave? That's crazy!
Yes and sick pay and holiday pay. You have no rights there and it's only just being noticed. Check Ed Edingers US workers rights. You'll be amazed even homeless in africa get more rights than US workers.
They don’t have paid holiday/vacation days either.
Correct. Nothing statutory. It depends on your employment contract. When we lived in the US, my wife got 3 months full pay after our child was born. Also 30 days paid holiday. So it varies a lot.
Almost everything in America is crazy!
They need to pay to hold their babies after they are born, for skin to skin contact. Bonkers
One thing employers don't realise is that new parents are tired! Tired workers may be a danger to themselves & others in the workplace, depending on the work they're doing!
The government pays the employer for the cost of parental leave. Our taxes cover it. And no, if you add up all the taxes paid, the US doesn't pay less in taxes.