Trends What Americans Don’t Get (NAPSA)—The U.S. is in a select group of countries. It’s one of only three (and the only industrialized one) that doesn’t guarantee paid maternity or paternity leave. For example, Canada, Aus- tralia and the United Kingdom offer 15, 18 and 39 weeks of paid parental leave. Their policies acknowledge the importance of workers spending time with their families and still being able to 0 BEEK4 UNITED STATES Wie WEEKS GERMANY @ Most countries offer people caring for infants or the ill paid leave, but not the U.S. provide for them. In addition, some states and cities have passed laws ensuring paid leave. Flexible workplace policies such as paid family leave to take care of sick loved ones and newbornsare not only good for the workers, their families and the country, they benefit businesses, too. Studies link supportive worklife balance policies to workers who are happier, more productive and morelikely to stay on the job longer. With that in mind, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is funding paid leave research in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Montana and Washington, D.C. The DOLis also asking people to share their stories about how having—or not having—paid parental leave hasaffected their families. Learn more at www.dol.gov/ PaidLeave.
