Additional maternity leave followed by parental leave

Leper said:
Hi Gravitygirl,

1. If you work overtime, you deserve to be paid for it either hard cash or bonus.
2. I hope you don't expect somebody who has just had a baby to work the extra hours just because you do. I presume nobody not working the extra hours wants to be paid.
3. If you are not getting compensated for working extra hours, then your union can help. Or of course, you can refuse to work the extra hours if you so wish.
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That's not the point she was making.
 
Purple said:
That's not the point she was making.
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Again I hasten to point out I was an unpaid Union Rep in most of my working life. While money issues were the main subjects brought to me by men, the leaves around maternity and employer/employee expectations after returning to work by far were the subjects originating from ladies. And fair dues to Gravitygirl for getting involved here. It is good to have several approaches on the subject. Indeed, Purple, you yourself contributed handsomely on the matter. But, please expand on the point Gravitygirl was making as against my posts. I'm sure Gravitygirl is well capable of expanding too. My three points in a previous post are central to the matter or do you think otherwise?
 
If someone works longer and harder, with more focus and commitment, then it is right and proper that they get paid more, promoted faster and higher and are generally rewarded more.
It is unfair and unreasonable to expect a man or a woman who works less, is more likely to be absent, takes more time off and generally fits their work life around their home life to expect the same pay or promotions.

Nobody should ever get a pay increase just because they have been doing their job for longer. Pay increases should only be given based on ability, productivity and commitment to the job.

I am 100% in support of paid maternity and paternity leave. I am 100% in favour of people striving to achieve a balance between their work and family commitments. I am 100% in support of State support for childcare for working parents. I just don't think people who choose that work life balance (the right choice in my opinion) should expect the same pay and promotion prospects as someone who puts their job first.
 
Purple said:
I just don't think people who choose that work life balance (the right choice in my opinion) should expect the same pay and promotion prospects as someone who puts their job first.
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Hmmmmmm! - You mean discriminate against somebody because he/she is a father/mother?
 
A reply below your usual standard Purple, but you're entitled to it.

Having worked most of my working life in the Public Service there were some things I could never come to terms with, especially dealing with the female of the species:-
(i) A lady announces she wants to travel abroad extensively and applies for unpaid special leave which usually lasts three years afterwhich her job is waiting for her. These announcements were always greeted with smiles, votes of goodwill, keep us advised on facebook etc and off the employee went off to discover Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and whatever whetted her appetite. There would even be an office going-away party; congratulations and best wishes everywhere.

(ii) Years later (back at work) and having married somebody she met while working her way through New Zealand, the same lady announces that she's pregnant, twelve weeks gone, first scan coming and the talk immediately starts "In six months she's gone" - "We won't see her for at least a year" - "Who will pick up her slack?" These thoughts were mainly from other women (probably always from other women). The lady hasn't even started to think of Parental Leave or anything else at this stage. The bad feeling grows and grows until it reaches its culmination "We ain't covering for her."

So there you have it the Public Service (at least) mother and child send off with a trip into the unknown (+ a future unknown) versus a girl seeking an extended holiday with a guaranteed job on her return.

If you still ain't gettin' it, we think more of travellers than we do of mothers.
 
Leper, I think both situations you outlined are fine. I don't see why anyone would grip about it, especially in a large organisation where cover it provided.

I have a problem with the person who took the 3 year break and the 6 months maternity leave plus parental leave expecting the same career progression as someone who takes neither.

I have a problem with such a person feeling hard done by when seeking but failing to get a key role in a small or medium sized business; A small business with 8 or 10 people can't do without their sales manager or quality manager or key IT developer or financial controller for that sort of time.
I'm all for work-life balance but we can't have it both ways; the person who commits more should get more in return.
 
i dont think purple is being unfair here, despite what some people would try to have you believe, you cant have it all. My wife has a good job and her career progression between the ages of 24 and 32 was rapid. it has since stalled because we have started a family and we knew that would be the case. She no longer works late into the night and prioritises our familty life over her career, she would be further along if she didnt but one of us had to make that decision.
 
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