American workers are donating their paid time off to pregnant colleagues, but they shouldn’t have to

@GMA The US is the only OECD country to offer no guaranteed paid leave for new mothers. We should
applaud the gener… https://t.co/mBxnINZp7W

— Ross Savill (@RossSavill)

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As plenty of Twitter users have pointed out to GMA, paid parental leave is sorely needed in the
United States, but in its absence, generous co-workers are giving up their own PTO so that a new
mother or father can enjoy an extra day at home with their baby.

Last month


The Washington Post



r

eported the practice is common in federal offices. “Co-workers donate them to help extend parental
leave so a frazzled new mom doesn’t have to go back to work six weeks after giving birth,”
columnist

Petula Dvorak

wrote.

GMA interviewed mothers in non-federal workplaces who had their maternity leaves topped up by
colleagues’ donations.

Jessie Sampson works for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, but Nebraska does
not offer state employees dedicated paid maternity leave. The state does allow “new moms who work
for the state to receive donated time once they have used their own accrued sick time” thanks to a
program launched in January GMA reports.

Sampson was able to have four more weeks with her second child than she did with her first thanks
to the donations of coworkers. “I had more bonding time with my child and I was able to establish a
much better breastfeeding routine,” Sampson told GMA. “That’s time [my colleagues] could be
spending relaxing and to give it to me to spend time with my child, I’m really grateful for that.”

Sampson is greatful, but Twitter users are outraged by the idea that programs like this should even
have to exist, and point out that the colleagues of new parents shouldn’t be sacrificing their own
time off.

While well-intentioned to be sure, colleagues who donate their own paid time off may be putting
themselves at risk.

Research indicates

that women who don’t take their vacations time are eight times more likely to have a heart attack
or develop heart disease than women who vacation twice a year, and

when men at high risk for heart disease actually take their vacations they’re 32% less likely to
die of heart disease.

In short, we need our time off. And when colleagues feel pressured to donate theirs so a new parent
can take a leave, they’re putting themselves at risk of burning out. That’s simply not fair, and
it’s actually not good for workplace productivity either.

“The mental and physical benefits of taking time off work include improved sleep, a better
headspace, more clarity and increased creativity,”

Dr. Kathryn Smerling

, a New York City based psychologist told

NBC News

. “By taking time off, you’ll find a renewed sense of purpose, more energy to carry out tasks and
in general, an overall sense of happiness.”

Colleagues donating their own time off is a beautiful, generous act. But it’s an itty-bitty
Band-Aid on a great big gaping wound. America needs paid parental leave, and we need it now.