When you talk about the "developed world" and the truly modern nations on the globe, you're really talking about the 30 OECD countries, which includes most of Europe, Japan, Canada, Mexico, the good ol' US of A, etc.

As it turns out, only two of those 30 *don't* have a national paid maternity leave policy: us and the Australians. And now, an Australian industry group is telling the government that it needs to get off the short list of non-mommy-friendly countries and institute paid leave. That would leave the USA in a rather lonely place.

What's even more disturbing is that the issue of paid maternity leave is almost entirely off the radar here. At least in Australia it's a campaign issue, with oppposition leaders speechifying on the issue. In the U.S., it's considered a radical idea.

(You're probably wondering why I'm not foaming at the mouth demanding *parental* leave instead of just *maternity* leave. I'm all for taking some issues one battle at a time. If we could just get a common-sense, public-minded, mother-friendly policy here, I'd feel much better about sneaking a paternity leave provision in the future. But when even mothers are being whisked straight from the delivery room to the office, it makes sense to fight *that* battle first ...)