Maternity Leave

Will working families be better off under the new government initiative?

Maternity leave can still lead to sacking

Kirsty Needham Women are being sacked for taking maternity leave and told to quit if they cannot juggle family and the work roster, the Fair Work Ombudsman's office has found.

Maternity leave win for Vinnies

Andrew West The St Vincent de Paul Society has become the first charity to offer staff in its second-hand shops 14 weeks' paid maternity leave and one week of unpaid grandparents' leave.

The maternal dilemma

Julia Baird In Manhattan, motherhood is seen as a disruption to a woman's real life - leaving Australian expat Julia Baird wondering if something has been lost.

Fresh ideas for working families

Brooke Wells In a time where 41% of working mothers are recommencing employment before their child is 4-months-old, the development of family friendly workplace policies are an important supplement to the paid...

Work stress blamed for caesarean rise

Kate Benson Women who stop working at least a month before their baby is due are four times less likely to have a caesarean delivery because they are less tired and anxious, research has found.

Job security crucial not money

Adele Horin A national paid maternity leave scheme will make little difference to women's willingness to return to work after having a baby, according to a new study.

Part-time work inhibits breastfeeding

Carol Nader Returning to work on a part-time or casual basis presents almost as much a barrier to breastfeeding for new mothers as working full-time, further fuelling the push for a national paid maternity leave...