For a highly developed country, the United States is lagging behind in terms of issues such as maternity leave. Some companies are offering better parenting perks such as infants in the workplace and extended leave, but the duration of maternity leave in general is decreasing. In 2012, 11% of new moms took between one and two weeks off, while 12% took one week or less. The latest data shows that almost 25% of women are taking less than 2 weeks for maternity leave due to poor workplace policies. While federally-mandated policies require companies to give women at least 12 weeks off, that time is not required to be paid. The best maternity leave policies are associated with higher-paying jobs, whereas lower income jobs often don’t have this luxury. The government is working on grant programs to implement paid leave programs by state.

Read the full article here: 25 Percent Of Moms Return To Work Less Than 2 Weeks After Giving Birth