ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we take a very brief look at what the “other kingdoms” offer in terms of maternity leave, paternity leave, and parental leave benefits. The employee benefits offered in other countries are in some cases just as complicated and difficult to interpret as those offered in the United States. In other countries, the conditions under which an employee may qualify and utilize the benefits are much easier to understand. Many countries seem to be much more consistent in the provision and administration of these benefits. This chapter is not meant to provide an extensive or exhaustive list of countries and benefits or an in-depth analysis of why these benefits are offered. We hope that, throughout the other chapters included in this book, we have made the case for why paid maternity leave is beneficial to mother, child, family, and society. This chapter serves to reinforce those reasons but primarily serves as a reference point for those interested in conducting further comparisons of benefits between the United States and other countries.
