I'm a hypocrite. I admit it. I judge situations and develop opinions based on how it affects me and those I love. And so if a situation arises that isn't good for me or those I love, I change my opinion...I think.
A few days ago a friend emailed me and mentioned that two girls in Wes's residency class are pregnant. I didn't yet know that, as Wes has an official policy of not telling me when people our age get pregnant. I have responded to past news of these pregnancies with a mix of (and believe me, it's embarrasing to reveal this about myself) happiness/jealousy/sadness/anger, the latter three of which usually become directed at Wes for failing to even attempt to impregnate me yet, despite my repeated requests (not intending to be graphic here). If it happened to someone I'm close to -- like my best friend or my sister -- I would feel only joy with the slightest pang of wishing I was too. But with people I know a little but not well -- or not at all, like the insanely pregnant woman in designer clothes walking down Michigan Avenue (knowing full well I will never look that cute pregnant) -- I just don't handle it well.
So circling back. The unfortuante consequence (for us) of these pregnancies is that Wes's third year of residency just went from being a little easier, maybe with time to do moonlighting shifts in the OU, to being even more hectic becuase the other residents will have to work these women's shifts while they're on six weeks paid maternity leave. You're seeing where I'm going with this, aren't you?
Maternity leave has always been one thing Wes and I disagree on. I argue for it, and he argues against it. He thinks it's unfair for two people to be paid the same for different amounts of work. Of course, this argument is weak on any number of levels. I work much harder than many teachers who are paid more than me. Wes works much harder than some of his classmates who make the same, federally-mandated and Northwestern-subsidized resident pay as him. I argue that women are an important part of the workforce, not just in numbers but in perspective and skills. I also argue in favor of more women (and men, I should say) being more involved in raising their own children. I nannied for too long not to point out how completely absent some parents are from their kids' lives in pursuit of a "career." I know the benefits of breastfeeding, and having a woman home after childbirth supports that.
Of course, I've always worked on these assumptions from the perspective of someone who is replaced with a substitute should I ever be out on maternity leave. And someone who will make every effort -- successful or not -- to time a pregnancy so I deliver during my summer vacation. Granted, some of my duties will fall back on other people during an absence, but most will be assumed by a sub, and I'll help from home with planning and grading. This just isn't possible in Wes's job. What is possible, though, is the following:
1 -- Those who take maternity leave pay it back later by working shifts by those who picked up extra during their absence.
2 -- Those who work extra shifts get compensated with either time or money.
3 -- Those who take maternity leave don't get the four weeks vacation otherwise granted and use that time to cover shifts as mentioned in 1.
4 -- Attendings pick up the shifts.
5 -- The program tries to pick up a transfer to help offset the time missed by these two pregnancies.
Lots of options, some of which may happen. Of course, I feel this way now because it's my husband and my very dear and limited time with my husband that's being affected. One thing I don't like about the US is how inconsistent policies are regarding these types of things. I am someone who like standardization, of course. My brother, who (with all due respect for the job and the risk undertaken in the position) occassionally fights fire and more often cares for senior citizens with coughing fits, who works 24 on and 48 off, gets more than 8 weeks of paternity leave -- yeah, didn't even give birth himself -- because the female firefighters do.* In my job, I think I get 2 weeks unpaid, and any time I miss I get docked for. In Wes's job, it's 6 weeks paid, with everyone else picking up the slack.
I'm happy for the women who are expecting their first babies. I am, admittedly, jealous a bit. I am frustrated that Wes, who works relentlessly every shift and takes on extra work and projects, is being put-upon even further. The questions now is, how does this leave me feeling about the general issue of maternity leave? I'm not really sure. What do you think?
*Please note -- I love my brother terribly. He is an amazing father who has used this abnormal schedule to be very present in his children's lives. I know he's a hard worker and don't question the real work he does. The "senior citizens with coughing fits" is something he himself mentions often as he prefers the more serious cases. I brought him up only as an example of a very generous example of maternity/paternity leave.
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