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

What you are looking for is a sabbatical or career break. The idea that women (but not men) without children should be entitled to extra leave is laughable. If you were arguing for better conditions for all workers people might get behind it, but the way you frame it is very selfish, sexist against men, and insulting to women on maternity leave.

Some employers will allow unpaid time for traveling, pursuing hobbies etc. I don't think paid time should be given for this.

Bloody hell it's not a fun holiday, it's the hardest work and change of your life you'll ever experience. No sleep, bleeding, milk issues, hormonal issues .... and it's producing a new life who will pay into the system in years to come

Take your travel as unpaid leave or take a career break

Some hostiles responses but I see your point OP.

As people have mentioned some people could definitely do with paid time off to look after an elderly or sick/dying relative or a disabled child. It is as hard if not harder than dealing with a baby and yet people are just expected to carry on working through this type of crisis.

I assume you can ask for a sabbatical to travel, retrain and so on but obviously that won't be paid.

This is like saying you should be able to take sick leave if you're not sick.

I don't have kids but I don't think that maternity leave is a holiday. Most of the mums I know spend it permanently exhausted.

If I want to travel, I use my holiday time!

Maternity leave is an exhausting time spent looking after a new baby, not time off to spend on yourself for rest or travelling. It's "leave" only in the sense that you're not doing your normal paid job, not in the sense of "holiday".
I agree that all workers should get some kind of sabbatical, but maternity leave is not at all comparable to a refreshing break from work.

Okay but only if you push a watermelon out your vagina and then change its nappy and feed it every 2 hours whilst only sleeping for 4 hours a night for 9 months. Oh and only get paid £156 per week.

It's not a paid holiday though is it, birthing a baby and raising it.

And your point here: "There would obviously be benefits for society & business from developing new skills, morale etc" sorry but you're really reaching here.

You can always see on these threads who has absolutely no idea how businesses and money operate.

Yes, op, marvellous idea. How would you like to fund this?

Maternity leave is not just taking time off is it? It’s exhausting. It’s putting your needs last every day and not being selfish. It’s being exhausted / ill/ depressed / hungry etc but still needing to be fully responsible for another human life. It’s nothing like having time off to travel. Bloody hell.

and what’s to stop women then deciding they want a child after having this paid time of when they already said they wouldn’t have it hence they were granted the time of to prance about in the first place. very silly suggestion

@custardbear
''Bloody hell it's not a fun holiday, it's the hardest work and change of your life you'll ever experience.''

Sorry, but you need to remember there are people out there who live everyday with long term health conditions, disabilities, cancer, the aftermath of accidents or who might be looking after elderly and disabled relatives 24/7.

There are many hard and life changing experiences in this wold...

Having a baby is also a choice. Illness and so on falls on you out of the blue.

I am not saying it is not hard and life changing to have a child but you need to keep things into perspective.

I have two children and have already had two maternity leaves. It was definitely not harder than work for more than the first month.

I’m definitely up for people without children getting a paid ME-ternity leave! Maybe not 6 months but maybe 3 after you’ve been with your employer 5+ years.

I think everyone should be paid allowed time off whenever they want. 🙄 Never going to happen though. You have to be doing something to earn that crust. As others have pointed out, getting SMP for doing the hardest thing you will ever do in your life is not exactly a holiday. (And yes, having a baby has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and I’ve done a few fairly rough things!)

Lots of bug companies offer sabbatical, there is nothing stopping someone who works for one of these saving 1/4 of their salary for 4 years and then taking a year off unpaid

I've only had one child, so should I get some extra time off too, as lots of people have two or more DC?

Hmm. Quick benefits calculator says £104 pw. SMP is £150ish.
So similar once nappies/ baby clothes/ cot/ whatever subtracted. And the non parent gets to return to work with no prejudice after their break from work.

Take a sabbatical….enjoy yourself!

Oh what a hero for having a functioning fertile body. You've made a choice so stop with the poor ole me rubbish.

People are getting crazier and crazier. No, you can’t get maternity leave if you’re not a mother. Good grief.

And how would you police it? A woman who only takes one leave gets additional ones later, because she could have had 2, 3, 4 etc more children? Wheres the line?

True. I guess it was good it coming as standard

As I said in the original post, I fully acknowledge birthing and raising a child is hard work. It is also a choice, so if you choose not to have one why should you be penalised by not getting an equivalent benefit?

Also I'm referring to businesses with maternity policies over and above SMP, not government funding.

In answer to the questions about how it'd be funded - by exactly the same mechanism as if those women had a baby, obviously!

To compare a period of travel with caring for a newborn while recovering from pregnancy and birth is frankly insulting. I've done both - I saved and quit my job so could travel for 9 months. It was awesome. I also took 9 months maternity leave. It was NOTHING like the holiday.

You want paid time off to do nothing? Don't we bloody all. Mothers don't get it so why should child free people? Save up and quit your job or take a sabbatical.

I did only get a 'small' amount of paid time off, I got six weeks only at salary and the rest was stat mat pay which was around £140 pw I think (it was a while ago). I think everyone should be allowed some sort of sabbatical at various points in their careers but I would be hard pressed to make a case for it being at a higher rate than stat maternity or sick pay.