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Family Leave In Vietnam

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The target of this paper is to conduct an exploration comparing and contrasting the family/medical leave policies within the United States (U.S.) and Vietnam. Currently, our nation is experiencing longer work days than the majority of European countries (though less than Asian countries) (Top Universities). Additionally, the fundamental need of our nation’s workforce as it relates to work/life balance is a significant issue affecting all Americans amid considering the shift in the gender composition of the labor force late in the twentieth century. Consequently, the challenge of providing fair and equitable support of women as well as single parents in the workforce is steadily becoming a paramount concern for the masses. Moreover, the …show more content…

family/medical leave policies exist at both the federal and state levels. For the purpose of this exploration, the emphasis is on the federal leave programs formally known as the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) of 1979, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993. At a high level, the PDA mandates that a pregnant female employee may not be discriminated against due to her pregnant condition and her employment may not be terminated due to pregnancy, hence job protection must be in place. Similary, the ADA also forbids discrimination against disabled people in employment, transportation, public accommodation, communications, and governmental activities (U.S. Department of Labor DOL). Additionally, the FMLA mandates that employers of fifty or more employees must secure their employees’ postion, or equivalent position, for up to twelve weeks a year while their employee is out on FMLA leave. Furthermore, employers must continue paying their employees’ health insurance premiums during the employee’s period of leave. Family and medical leave covers care for a newborn or newly adopted child, caring for a child, spouse, or parent who has a serious health condition, or employee’s recovering from their own serious health condition. Employees are eligible for FMLA if they have worked for their employer for a year, and for 1,250 hours during the immediately preceding year (Lenhoff and Bell 2). Comparatively, it is necessary to acknowledge that some (but not all) employees have access to leave programs through union contracts, employer policies, or state legislation regarding leave policy, including but not limited to, sick leave, parental leave, and personal leave. The FMLA is an unpaid leave, though in states which offer Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) programs, the employee may file for state disability if

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