Why should pregnant workers expect businesses to pay for special benefits open only to them?

Should not all workers be treated equally? Why do feminists feel that pregnant women should be treated better than a person who is temporarily disabled, for example?

I have read that here that some feminists feel that businesses should provide pregnant workers special benefits, such as 12 weeks of paid leave and should disregard the fact that the worker was absent when considering the group for raises, promotions, and bonuses ~ based on performance.

Why should businesses be expected to give this consideration only to pregnant women and not all workers?

(I will provide paid parental leave only when I can also afford to provide an equally long periodic sabbatical for childless (or those with adult children) workers.
draecoiram –

Help me understand: If new mother (or father) did not contribute to a major successful project because of parental leave, are you saying that a worker who made zero contribution should be given the same bonus as the one who made a significant contribution?

I submit that that would be completely unequal and unfair to the contributors and would create legal exposure where small contributors could claim they were discriminated against.

Baba Yaga – Yes, I’m the boss. When you’ve learned enough to make a few years of payroll, come back and we’ll talk.

In fact, sit down. Let me teach you something very basic. FMLA allows for 12 weeks of *unpaid* leave for *anyone* who needs it. It does not discriminate for or against anyone.
FMLA is *not* just for parents.

It’s for any medical situation, including caring for aged parents, a sick child, or a spouse.
Dog owner – confused as to what you are saying. Are you saying that any benefits pregnant women get should be made available to all workers?

If I understand you, that is what I am saying. I am not comfortable giving worker A 12 weeks of paid leave because she chose to get pregnant (she can take it unpaid via FMLA now) without allowing worker B to take 12 weeks of paid leave at some point. That is discriminatory, in my opinion.

It will be about 3 years before I can afford to provide the benefit for everyone. I will not do it for some and not for all.
Dog owner

Start a business where you have to figure out how to pay for the expensive benefits and salaries you demand and then see if you feel the same way about companies “cheating” their employees.
Carrie – I do provide ST & LT disability at no cost to the employee. I do FMLA.

Paying workers for a year who don’t work is financially untenable. Ouch!

I recommend that everyone who complains that companies don’t spend enough money providing benefits start their own business with 12 months of parental leave and hire only married women in their childbearing years as possible.
Anise

Don’t you realize that working class parents have been raising kids for decades by saving, budgeting, working together as families, and taking responsibility for their choice to have children.

Why is it that people feel that businesses are reservoirs of unlimited cash that they they *entitled to*?

Until you have to open your own checkbook you will not understand what you are really asking for.
Object Of It’s Ire –

How can European companies do it? It is their governments who are doing it with far higher taxes than the US (well over 50% in some cases).

That is also why US companies sell more American products in Europe than vice-versa.

Secondly – have you *ever* opened YOUR business checkbook to pay any employees and provide these benefits? Why don’t YOU put ‘YOUR money where your mouth is.’

Once you do that, *then*, come back and piously tell me state what companies should do.

Thirdly – once I can afford it, I do intend to offer paid parental leave. However, I will not discriminate against persons who chose not to have children. I will offer them a sabbatical after several years of employment at the same length of the parental leave.

Lastly, I started saving for retirement when it was over 40 years away. I do not intend to rely on the kindness of strangers when I’m old.
Carrie – I pay for performance, taking everything into consideration. The more profit the company makes, the more money there is for benefits.

I incent employees to maximize profits which ultimately benefit them. I am not trying to get rich, just trying to build something solid and stable that 1) my family benefits from, and 2) my employees benefit from.