More than 140 countries around the world provide paid maternity leave by law, including most industrial nations--except the United States, Australia and New Zealand. The International Labor Organization has set standards for maternity leave since 1919, but so far only 32 nations have ratified the conventions.
The ILO, a U.N. specialized agency, has set these standards:
12 weeks of leave, distributed before and after confinement.
Payment during maternity leave of at least two-thirds of a woman's earnings.
Employers should not be held responsible for such payments, which should come from social security or health insurance.
Subsequent conventions allow for exclusion of certain workers, including domestic employees and women working in family businesses.
*Based on the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act. Many large employers voluntarily provide some paid maternity leave. Some states, including New York, California, Rhode Island and Hawaii apply short-term disability benefits to maternity.
Note: Many developing countries have legislated maternity leave benefits, but they often do not enforce them. Moreover, women in these countries frequently work in home-based occupations and are not covered.
SOURCE: International Labor Organization, 1994 report
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