Construction and Validation of the Quality of Maternity Leave Scales (QMLS)

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 337-359
Author(s):  
Haley M. Sterling ◽  
Blake A. Allan
Keyword(s):  
Maternity Leave ◽  
The United States ◽  
Decent Work ◽  
Subjective Experiences ◽  
Medical Leave ◽  
The Family ◽  
Leave Policy ◽  
Working Adult ◽  
Maternity Leave Policy

Maternity leave is not federally guaranteed or paid in the United States. Although there has been an increase of women in the workforce, federal maternity leave policy has not changed since the adoption of the Family and Medical Leave Act in 1993. The subjective quality of this maternity leave is likely an important component of what mothers perceive to be decent work. However, no scholars have developed measurements examining mothers’ subjective experiences of the quality of their maternity leave. Therefore, the goal of the current research was to develop scales measuring six domains of quality of maternity leave: time off, flexibility, coworker support, discrimination, microaggressions, and benefits (e.g., pay, health care, disability insurance). In two studies with diverse samples of working, adult mothers, we provide evidence for the factor structure, validity, and internal consistency of the Quality of Maternity Leave Scales.

From civil rights to social policy: the political development of family and medical leave policy

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Kumar Ramanathan
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Social Policy ◽  
Civil Rights ◽  
Political Development ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Maternity Leave ◽  
The United States ◽  
Medical Leave ◽  
Leave Policy ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Family and medical leave policy in the United States is often noted for its lack of wage compensation, but is also distinctive in its gender neutrality and its broad coverage of several types of leave (combining pregnancy leave with medical, parental, and caregiving leave). This article argues that the distinctive design of leave policy in the United States is explained by its origins in contestation over the civil rights policy regime that emerged in the 1960s. In the early 1970s, women's movement advocates creatively and strategically formulated demands for maternity leave provision that fit an interpretation of this new policy regime's antidiscrimination logic. Because of this decision to advance an antidiscrimination claim, advocates became committed to pursuing a leave guarantee on gender-neutral grounds, which in turn enabled the broad-coverage leave design. This case study suggests that scholars of social policy and American political development should pay greater attention to the impact of civil rights on social policy. This article also contributes to the study of policy development by providing an example of how political actors cross boundaries between policy domains during the policy making process and by presenting a reconceptualization of “policy regimes.”

The Ninth Month

2019 ◽  
pp. 253-266
Author(s):  
Vanessa LoBue
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Return To Work ◽  
Maternity Leave ◽  
The United States ◽  
New Mothers ◽  
Medical Leave ◽  
The Family ◽  
Pros And Cons

This chapter describes the development of the infant in the ninth month of life. As the fall approaches and the author has to return to work, she has to make different choices about childcare. Because in the United States employers are only required to provide 12 weeks of maternity leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and very often that leave is unpaid, most new mothers must return to work while their children are still infants. The chapter focuses on describing different childcare options—specifically daycare versus nannies—and the pros and cons of each based on research.

scholarly journals Mothers’ Age and Education Who Work in Health Facility Influenced Nutritive Feeding Choice

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Karini Kaman ◽  
Regina Vidya Trias Novita ◽  
Paramitha Wirdani Ningsih Marlina
Keyword(s):  
Role Model ◽  
Maternity Leave ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
P Value ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Feeding Choice ◽  
Leave Policy ◽  
Breast Pump ◽  
Maternity Leave Policy ◽  
Back To Work

The health worker services are a role model. Activities breastfeeding decline when mothers started to work after maternity leave. The purpose of this research is to analyze the factors relating to the mothers on the reproductive age who works in the hospital. The method of the research was quantitative with cross-sectional. The research used questioners and held on January-March 2020. Total sampling with 40 respondents.  The result showed two variables were significant. There are the age of the mothers with p-value with the p 0.044 < 0.05 and the level of mother education with the p 0.045 <0.05. The reproductive age and education significantly positive for history giving exclusive breastfeeding.  The mothers had chosen mix feeding for nutritive their babies.  The environment did not support, even mothers have enough for their knowledge so they decided to give formula. Although mothers have high of the level of education still give mix feeding because of back to work, have no support on breastfeeding and facility where the mothers work. Conclusion the health services such as in the hospital should give the employee specialized women who had reproductive age to support for example facilities for the breast pump, maternity leave policy, and finally could be breastfeeding exclusively.

A new era for paid maternity leave policy: women in Sri Lanka

2015 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 123-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thilakshi Kodagoda ◽  
Ramanie Samaratunge
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Maternity Leave ◽  
New Era ◽  
Leave Policy ◽  
Maternity Leave Policy

Predictors and Outcomes of U.S. Quality Maternity Leave: A Review and Conceptual Framework

2021 ◽  
pp. 089484532110373
Author(s):  
Haley M. Sterling ◽  
Blake A. Allan
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Maternity Leave ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Subjective Experiences ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Work Related

Maternity leave includes the time that mothers take off from work to care for their baby and heal after childbirth. The United States’ maternity leave provisions lag behind other industrialized countries, resulting in poor quality maternity leave (QML) for many mothers. Accordingly, scholars have begun examining QML, a new construct that captures mothers’ subjective experiences of their leave, including dimensions like time off and flexibility. However, researchers know little about predictors and outcomes of QML. Therefore, in this literature review, we will integrate societal-, work-, and individual-level predictors as well as well-being and work-related outcomes of maternity leave into a testable conceptual framework for QML. This review has important implications for U.S. policy makers and organizations regarding their support of mothers. Future research should continue to build this framework to ensure that mothers and parents in the United States and internationally are provided the QML they need to thrive.

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