To think that women without children should be able to take time off work too?

[Playfair]

Firstly I will say that I am 100% supportive of good maternity leave (and paternity / shared), and understand the importance of supporting women to maintain a career, care for children or whatever else they wish.

I also acknowledge that maintaining birth rates is critical for society. And that maternity leave is spent doing work in raising a child.

Reflecting on my company's good maternity policy (about 6 months paid) and also some other institutions that have announced paid time off for those undergoing fertility treatment, it leaves me wondering about those of us without children (by choice or otherwise).

I'm in my thirties and will never have children. I'd love to have a small amount of paid time off (in addition to usual annual leave) to do some lengthy travel for example. I can't see why we can't have access to something similar if you haven't used any maternity benefit by a certain point.

There would obviously be benefits for society & business from developing new skills, morale etc. As well as women in work contributing to economy and through taxation.

So,

YABU - Women who choose not to have children shouldn't be entitled to anything else

YANBU - Women should be able to claim a small amount of extra paid time off if they stay in a career and contribute to business and societies success

YABU but the comments comparing sick leave to mat leave just show people to be dim and lacking in empathy. I’ve been on mat leave and it was tough but I was having the children who I adore. I’ve been on long term sick leave, I slept less during to my serious ill health than I did when I had a newborn.

I do think people providing care for a relative with complex health needs should have the equivalent of mat leave. I know someone who tried to balance work and caring for her husband who was dying and it was horrific. She felt guilty about being signed off sick. A colleague also had a challenging time when her young child had leukaemia and had no option but to be signed off with stress. In these cases, I think there should be exceptions.

They might take it as sick leave

doesn't change the fact they’re entitled to take it as maternity or paternity leave.

Which puts it at odds with other forms of compassionate leave, and pokes holes in posters claiming maternity leave is for looking after a newborn.

HRTWT, but I’m sure someone has already said that if childless women were to be entitled to this then in the name of equality so should childless men.
women are sometimes their own worst enemy……at this rate we’ll be unemployable soon.

I'm sorry for your loss. It's a shame that you think that instead of you getting paid leave to look after your mother (which 1. many employers do provide for and 2. there's statutory funding for carers), you'd rather attack someone else for getting something they're equally entitled to. Why do you want her to have less rather than thinking you should have more? Why is it a competition? If I'm hungry and want a burger then I'd ask for a burger - I wouldn't attack someone else who's hungry for eating a curry. That's what you're doing - it's illogical and ridiculous.

Dependents' leave is virtually always unpaid. So hardly anyone takes it.

Carers funding is about £67 per week.

Yes, I’ve met myself

Also only 2 of the parents from our NCT didn’t find mat leave a breeze. Most parents I know from work and friends with kids have said the same

I traveled a lot, had loads of time for hobbies, was on full pay for 7 months (half pay for another 2 months after that) and DH got a lot of paternity leave so we had a lot of time together too. DD slept through from 9 weeks old as well so made it a great experience.

I pointed this out but OP has conveniently ignored

And yes that's shit but it's there.

🤣🤣 always one...

Okay, your last post does explain better where you're coming from, but I don't think you right a wrong by creating another injustice. If you said people who need to assist a dying relative should get some kind of paid leave I think a lot of people would be agreeing with you.

But needing a leave for your health of that of a relative, and wanting to take a leave are two very different things.

How about nobody ever goes to work? That's fair for everyone then.

Would you take maternity leave if it was unpaid? I would have taken the bare minimum.

I'm with you op.

My big policy should I ever get to run my dream country is that everyone is entitled to a certain amount of extended leave, say 2 - 3 years over their working lifetime, to pursue and achieve whatever they like. Anything from a degree or new qualifications, traveling, having a child, writing or reading for months on end, completing Netflix. Whatever you want.

The policy would include extra time if you want to have more children - so the gov would fund extra parental leave for a 3rd or 4th child.

And yes, I know there are probably loads of flaws in this, but it's a dream country ok.

Yes, should include badgers and stoats, at least.

Can I come and live there @goldenshoe?

I don’t really understand the practicalities. What’s the MatB1 equivalent for planning to not have children that you then give to your employer? Do you prove your infertility with a doctors note? Get your tubes tied to show you plan to have no children? Or otherwise you have to have hit menopausal age to claim?
If you do end up needing maternity leave do have to pay back your ‘me time’ leave money to claim it?

I do think that if the government realises its ambition to have everyone working until they die that there will have to be some sort of provision for breaks for everyone.

Exactly this - having children is a CHOICE! the CHOICE not to breed should also be respected and rewarded.

Every mother I’ve encountered at work is always saying how they wish they could have another year off on Mat Leave… so it can’t be that bad! Maybe it’s where I work… not many people look forward to coming back after it 🤷🏼‍♀️

I voted YANBU but men should be included too.

It's not always a choice... what about women who dont have access to termination/ rape/ domestic abuse??? What if birth control fails?

Considering people take multiple maternity leaves why would they need to pay back the money if claiming for mat leave down the line?

I took the unpaid bit. I would have had no choice. I was that ill. If I didn't do that it would have been sick leave.

I took sick leave rather than unpaid dependants leave. Because I had to pay the bills.

“something they're equally entitled to” - this sums
it up, the entitlement of parents. Rewind 9 months you were the same as the rest of us