IKEA’s New Maternity + Paternity Leave Is Super Impressive
Family benefits are something that many people look for when applying for a new job. With no federal law mandating paid (or any, really) maternity or paternity benefits, having a kid in America can seem like a daunting task. While more and more companies like Nike have extended up to eight weeks paid leave when you have a kid, there is no law compelling anyone to offer anything more than what some states already have in place.
The good news, however, is that companies like Netflix have decided to up the stakes and offer better leave for their staff regardless of the law, and IKEA is the newest member of the maternity and paternity benefits club. The Scandinavian company, known mostly for its inexpensive modular furniture (which we love), announced this week that it would guarantee up to four months paid leave for all employees, whether they be a mom or a dad or work full or part-time.
While this news is wonderful and people are applauding all of these progressive companies, we think it’s high time we put more pressure on legislators to create meaningful laws to guarantee longer leaves for new parents. As we’re sure you know, the US is the only first-world nation that doesn’t guarantee this right. At most, people are able to take up to 12 weeks, but if you ask any of your mom-friends, they’ll tell you that’s just not enough.
While we’re entering an uncertain political climate, it doesn’t mean that we can’t voice our displeasure that in 2016, we still don’t have laws guaranteeing our jobs if we decide to have a child. Hopefully, with these mega companies making announcements like these, it may finally put pressure on Washington to act for the betterment of families across the nation.
Did you get paid maternity benefits? Let us know @Britandco!
(Photos via Andreas Rentz/Mayte Tores/Getty)
