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American Express Will Give All Parents 20 Weeks Of Paid Leave (cnn.com)
Starting in January, the financial services giant will expand its paid parental leave policy for mothers and fathers to 20 weeks at full pay, plus another six to eight weeks for women who give birth and require medical leave. Full-time and part-time employees who have worked at Amex for at least a year are eligible. CNN adds: That's a big shift from the company's current policy of offering six weeks of paid leave for the primary parent plus another six to eight weeks for birth mothers who require medical leave. Secondary caregivers, meanwhile, have gotten just two weeks. Under the new policy, parents will also have access to a 24-hour lactation consultant. And mothers who go on business trips will be able to ship their breast milk home for free.
I'm a parent, I don't work for American Express... will they give me 20 weeks?
"That's the way to do it" - Punch
I'm single and don't plan to marry of have kids. But other people do. That's just a fact of life, and hardly the only instance of life not being "fair".
Since some people are going to have children, it makes sense to me to accommodate this reality in the most constructive way possible. Its either pick up the "slack" for someone on parental leave, pick up the "slack" for someone who is stressed out with a new baby or pick up the "slack" while someone is replaced. IMO, the first option is preferable.
Plus, I would totally give up 20 weeks pay to not have to stay home for 20 weeks with a baby.