The United States and Australia are the only two countries in the industrialised world that don’t have paid statutory maternity leave (there are exceptions in some US states). At least in Australia, though, your job is protected for a year; in America, even the leave protection only lasts for 12 weeks. It’s an astonishingly backward state of affairs, like discovering that France doesn’t have a postal service.

There’s apparently a new trend in America for companies–eager to ease the strain caused by a lack of paid maternity or paternity leave, limited maternity leave job protection, non-existent on-site childcare, and family-unfriendly working hours and absence policies–to allow employees to bring their babies to work. One can’t help but suspect that some crafty (childless) American businessperson heard about similar schemes, where many companies are allowing employees to bring their pets to work, and thought ‘hey great idea! This’ll solve our parental leave problems! It’s not like looking after a baby involves DOING ANYTHING. So why not let parents bring the babies here and get back to work?!’ A web site dedicated to the trend lists the following benefits of such a scheme:

williams and baby thurston hard at work

Lower Stress for Parents
Happier Marriages
Easier Breastfeeding
Easier Bonding
Lower Day Care Costs
Better Financial Stability
Socialized and Happier Babies
Parents Learn from Coworkers
Social Network for Parents
Less Postpartum Depression
Enables Starting a Family Earlier
Fathers More Involved with Babies