Paid Maternity Leave

I had just written a response to a partner’s email regarding outpatient coverage and the focus of work-life balance. I think it’s a great initiative that she is tackling while brainstorming what could help the group with flexibility as well as some normalcy while raising a family.

** Please take this brief survey on maternity leave **

This made me think of changes to antiquated practices we currently have in our work environment… primarily, paid maternity leave as well as paid sick leave (neither of which my group has or supports). Many of my male colleagues can continue to work and can take as little or much leave as they would like for family bonding or vacation time to spend with their newborns. This is their option. Unfortunately, the women physicians in our group are not afforded that same luxury. There is a 6 week medical leave of absence with a vaginal delivery or an 8 week leave of absence with a C/S as proposed by the OBs. During this time, we are not paid. State disability is a joke bc it’s not even enough to cover a mortgage payment. Look at other large companies, there’s often paid leave or sick leave available to the employees. Therefore, women who choose to have kids while working as a physician in our group are penalized, especially if they are the breadwinner.

Not only that, even while off on medical leave, we are required to pay ridiculously high premiums to cover the wide age gap of partners in our practice. I would be happy to look elsewhere for my medical coverage, but I simply cannot come off our medical insurance plan.

Therefore, I propose there be a fund set aside to create a pool or trust for persons creating families (just as we do for our more distinguished and elderly physician population with our health insurance plans and exorbitant premiums) who will have families and work in our group.

Here are some examples in the news of what is and has been in the pipelines….

Amer Acad of pediatrics

Paid Family Leave

NPR

Here are examples of companies getting it right:

Fairy God Boss

Glass Door

Sick Leave

Please consider updating some or all of the policies for paid maternity leave. I am open to your thoughts and considerations.

Poll on Maternity Leave

What it’s like to be a female anesthesiologist…

Updated resources: March 10, 2019