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Engineer Says Software Firm Cut Her Maternity Leave Short After Her Baby Died

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Re: Engineer Says Software Firm Cut Her Maternity Leave Short After Her Baby Died

#51

Post by HeWhoLurksLate »

fghorow wrote: post #40
52-6F-62 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had a coworker who went through this. My bosses were very gracious. She was on leave for some time, purely for mental health reasons. And I’m sure returning to work with her job intact was a major comfort. Our direct boss at the time would meet with her for lunch occasionally until she felt well enough to come back. I’m willing to bet it was the best way it could have gone for her in light of what she experienced.…

I am happy to hear that she is beaming. But, from personal experience, I would not assume that she is anything like "over" losing the other child.

Maybe over the hump is a better way to describe it?

My own problems with seasonal / occasional depression have resembled something of a bell curve- not bad at first, then really bad, then not very bad. The threat of depression never really goes away, but the likelihood of having bad days generally dies down over time, especially if the gap from what you were missing (IE child, job, spouse, sibling, family, pets) gets filled by something else.

Re: Engineer Says Software Firm Cut Her Maternity Leave Short After Her Baby Died

#52

Post by Coffeewine »

crispyporkbites wrote: post #47
jacquesm wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pretty normal in the United States.

Who looks after the child? I don’t understand how this is possible?

Sometimes a family member such as a grandparent, sometimes a company who the parents of the child pay to look after the child. Businesses which provide this service are called "daycare" in the US.

Re: Engineer Says Software Firm Cut Her Maternity Leave Short After Her Baby Died

#53

Post by itronitron »

kgwgk wrote: post #38
itronitron wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From the company's standpoint, any employee that quits is simply a cash giveaway and a huge loss.

Especially when they had been giving cash in return for nothing. The cash giveaway is in the paid leave part, not in the quitting part.

Paid leave is a benefit of being employed at the company, it's not a cash giveaway.

Re: Engineer Says Software Firm Cut Her Maternity Leave Short After Her Baby Died

#55

Post by throwawaycanada »

crispyporkbites wrote: post #47
jacquesm wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pretty normal in the United States.

Who looks after the child? I don’t understand how this is possible?

Simple, you just pay 1500/mo to someone else to look after them at some sort of group child care company.

Re: Engineer Says Software Firm Cut Her Maternity Leave Short After Her Baby Died

#56

Post by mattrp »

>> “Eight weeks of paid leave includes up to two weeks prior to the birth and assumes a normal vaginal delivery,” an HR representative said write to Jennifer

I bet if most companies simply got rid of the HR departments altogether, not only would inhumane and repulsive policies like the above not exist, I bet most employees would be happier and more productive.

Re: Engineer Says Software Firm Cut Her Maternity Leave Short After Her Baby Died

#57

Post by HeWhoLurksLate »

crispyporkbites wrote: post #47
jacquesm wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pretty normal in the United States.

Who looks after the child? I don’t understand how this is possible?

Um, depending, either nuclear family, extended family, friends, or other caretakers. Generally involves either pumping or using formula to feed the baby.

This is one of the many reasons why multigenerational households can be a benefit to the individuals within.

When there's a will, there's a way.

Re: Engineer Says Software Firm Cut Her Maternity Leave Short After Her Baby Died

#58

Post by arkades »

chrisco255 wrote: post #42
dwoozle wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, but the bereavement leave for a child should be much more than 8 weeks. And it costs so little to provide since it is relatively rare in the developed world.

While no doubt someone will never fully emotionally get over something so tragic, sometimes the best thing for you is to get back on the horse and your work and your life and move on.

Having bereavement leave does not preclude returning to work. It precludes being forced to return to work when one cannot.

Re: Engineer Says Software Firm Cut Her Maternity Leave Short After Her Baby Died

#59

Post by jacquesm »

xenihn wrote: post #44
skrebbel wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Economically, it makes sense to "discriminate" against pregnant women. I've heard this repeated a lot but I don't get it (I'm an employer). I mean I can't think of many things that would hurt team morale and hiring reputation more than treating a young female employee like shit just because she got pregnant (let alone went through something as horrific as losing a child). What kind of short-sighted psychopath boss…

>I mean I can't think of many things that would hurt team morale and hiring reputation more than treating a young female employee like shit just because she got pregnant Anecdote time based on my experience in SV and tech, and second-hand anecdotes from friends in NYC finance: Curiousgal's viewpoint isn't uncommon. The harshest judgment in these situations comes from other women. Men are generally more sympathetic, a…

> I would not be surprised if this decision came all the way down from a female manager, with men lower on the chain voicing opposition and being overruled.

That's very speculative and likely not true.

Re: Engineer Says Software Firm Cut Her Maternity Leave Short After Her Baby Died

#60

Post by cs02rm0 »

high_derivative wrote: post #4

Well this may be a controversial stance, but her baby passed at birth. There was no maternity leave to take any more. What there was to take maybe was a bereavement leave.

Spoken like someone who's never been through childbirth!

Not that I have either, but having seen it a few times I don't think I'd recover quickly even without the bereavement. The blood being mopped up - literally with a mop - after my wife's episiotomy was like something from a horror movie.

I don't think they let you drive for 6 weeks after a caesarian in the UK.

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