Esther Strauss
- Esther Strauss and her family moved to North Macedonia from the US.
- She says that she felt a lack of support when her baby was born in the US.
- In Europe, she was able to take more time off after giving birth.
When my first child was born, I found myself faced with the harsh reality of no guaranteed maternity leave in the US.
Some states offer maternity or parental leave laws, but Texas doesn't. And, while the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) gives eligible employees 12 weeks of unpaid leave, I wasn't eligible for that. It was one of those non-negotiable parts of American work culture that I felt I had to accept. I only had four weeks of paid leave.