In chapter 1, Dr. Gordon describes why she wrote this book.

Do you think other researchers start a project based on a concern, an issue, a topic that surfaces in their day to day lives?

In your experience, have you come across other social or employment issues that you thought were resolved, or that you thought you knew the answer to?

Were you ever surprised that the reality of something employment related was not what you expected?

Were you surprised by the stories of the two young women that Dr. Gordon describes in Chapter 1?

What was Dr. Gordon’s research question?

Chapter 2

Who is Representative Jerry Nadler? Why is the legislation he is proposing of importance?

What role does the EEOC play in enforcing the provisions of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act?

Look at Table 2.1. Does the information presented here with regard to the number of pregnancy discrimination complaints surprise you? Why?

Why were tax code changes, child care credits, child tax credits added to the tax structure in the US beginning in the 1970’s?

Read the FMLA legislation–what was the purpose? Do those purposes seem to still make sense and have relevance today?

Dr. Gordon discusses the economic, social and symbolic implications of maternity leave in the conclusion of Chapter 2, do you agree/disagree/see things she missed? Expand.

Chapter 3

Chapter three includes a lot of census data. Choose one table or figure in this chapter and describe what the data presented means to you?

What are the benefits of men taking paternity leave? for men? for women? for families?

What are the benefits of calling this kind of leave PARENTAL leave? What implications does this have if both men and women take a leave that is called the same thing? What might be unintended consequences of this?

Opting out! One of the current event issues we see in the news is the idea that women who have the economic or financial means may opt out of the work place; they may have a baby and then decide not to go back to work? If this happens frequently, what does this mean for organizations? What does it mean for HR managers? What about those women who would like to stay home but cannot afford to do so?

Chapter 4

What is one health issue for women identified and discussed in this chapter? Why is it important?

What is one health issue for babies identified and discussed in this chapter? Why is it important?

What is the optimal length of leave for maternity leave? What is your opinion, and why?

Assignment 2 10 points

Discussion questions over Chapters 5, 6, 7

Chapter 5

What is the research question?

What is the snowballing technique?

What is a purposive sample?

How do we check for reliability and validity in qualitative research?

How do we protect confidentiality and anonymity?

What does Dr. Gordon say is the most poignant and telling finding of the interviews?

What are the study limitations?

Chapter 6

Which is your favorite interview? Least favorite? Why?

Chapter 7

What themes are identified in Chapter 7? What do they mean?

When you read Chapter 6, did you identify other themes that Dr. Gordon did not discuss in Chapter 7?

What is your favorite photo in Chapter 7 and why?

Compare cover photo on the book, with photo 7.4. Why are these photos so different? What is the major point do you think Dr. Gordon is trying to make with these photos?

Assignment 3             5 points

Discussion questions over Chapters 8, 9, 10

Chapter 8

Pick one of the chapter 8 interviews and discuss the implications of what that person had to say about Maternity Leave. What information did you see that was different? the same? from the main/complete interviews included in Chapter 6. Why was it important to include these interviews in Chapter 8?

Chapter 9

Chapter 9 offers the international perspective. If you are an international student or have knowledge about maternity leave in another country, describe what happens there in your own country when a woman has a baby? Does she leave work temporarily? Is her leave paid? Who cares for her newborn? Why do you think the US lags behind other countries in offering paid time off for maternity leave? If you are not an international student describe what you are most surprised by in this chapter? What questions do you have for our international students?

Chapter 10

What can you do to help improve the status of women in the workplace when she needs/wants to take maternity leave?

Pretend you are a future HR manager, how would reading this book help to prepare you for such responsibilities?

Assignment 4                                     (20 points)

Read Maternity Leave: Policy and Practice and Writing Public Policy. For this assignment you are to Read both books and focus on Chapter 6 in the Writing Public Policy book—Position Paper—Know the Arguments. You are to write a 5-8 page paper that takes a position—not just for or against PAID maternity leave—but you must “argue to add your position to the debate and to the possibilities.” (Smith, p 120) Your argument should be constructed to convince others to accept your position. You cannot just support the position(s) found in the book, rather, you must critically analyze the book and provide support for your position. See the description on page 123 in Smith for how to argue in a position paper. Have fun with this assignment!!!