Parental Leave in O&P: Where Do We Stand?

[caption id="attachment_249339" align="alignright" width="300"] NDABCREATIVITY/stock.adobe.com[/caption] The reality for new parents in the workforce is that the United States is the only high-income country that does not have a federally mandated paid parental leave policy. 1 In addition, only 11 of the 50 states have a paid parental leave policy. 2 Without federal or statewide regulation, parental leave policy creation falls largely onto companies themselves. Many O&P companies lack true parental leave policies. This is becoming increasingly important to address, especially in an era where women comprise the majority of graduating students in O&P. 3 We conducted a survey to get a more comprehensive understanding of the state of the O&P profession with respect to these policies. The specific purpose of the survey was to better quantify O&P companies’ current parental leave offerings, as well as the impact of those policies on employees. In addition, the survey results were used to identify where disparities lie throughout the profession. The survey was distributed to certified and board-eligible prosthetists, orthotists, pedorthists, and fitters who currently worked in a clinical role in the United States. The survey was advertised in the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association’s newsletter and through the OANDP-L listserv to ensure a broad reach to the field at large. One hundred twenty-five clinicians responded to the survey. The demographics of the survey were as follows: 24-63 years old 74 percent women, 25 percent men, 1 percent nonbinary All five regions of the United States were represented Length of time practicing in the field: 39 percent 0-5 years; 29 percent 6-10 years; 23 percent 11-20 years; 6 percent 21-30 years; 3 percent 31 or more years Sixty-five percent of respondents were dissatisfied with their company’s current parental leave policy. In addition, the survey found that 65 percent of the respondents did not have a formal parental leave policy. This was defined in the survey as additional paid leave, not including short-term disability or unpaid job protection through the Family and Medical Leave Act. Of the respondents who have taken leave as either a birthing or nonbirthing parent, 70 percent reported feeling that they were not able to take enough time on leave before returning to work. Respondents were asked how many weeks of paid time off (PTO) they had per year. Of the respondents, 69 percent reported having three weeks or fewer of PTO. This is important to consider as many companies utilize short-term disability as the only parental leave option. However, many short-term disability plans have a waiting period of two weeks where an employee must use PTO or go unpaid. Furthermore, 73 percent of respondents ranked paid parental leave as “important” or “very important” when considering potential employment options. Because obtaining (and retaining) high-quality employees is critical for all employers in O&P, it is more important than ever that companies enact parental leave policies to attract the top talent. In addition to the parental leave policy itself, respondents gave feedback on what their employers did or did not do well during their transition time back to work. There were some positive responses such as: During my transition back to work, my company was great about options to work part time as well as ensuring blocked times throughout the workday for breast pumping. However, the majority of the responses received were from employees who expressed frustration and stress during their transition back to work: Transitioning back was hard with having my vacation time wiped out and needing lots of doctor’s appointments and follow-ups for me and my baby. As well as having space and time to pump without guilt. There were three people who helped cover for me while I was gone. It was what was necessary, but because a couple of those people were bouncing between offices, it was a lot for them to juggle and keep track of. More time was needed and wanted, but seemingly unavailable; difficult to find anyone to help in HR; there was nobody to help navigate the transition. (I figured it out on my own and decided to ask for forgiveness instead of permission when it came to adapting my schedule). Breastfeeding and pumping at work while trying to see patients was very difficult; none of my bosses seemed to understand the mental and physical toll trying to juggle these tasks played on me. If you work in this field, not all scheduled patient times go as planned. Breastfeeding was not always easy to fit in even though scheduled. Respondents were also asked what advice they would offer to O&P companies when considering paid parental leave policies. One respondent stated: Paid parental leave is critical. It seems like a big investment, but most families with children only need to utilize it two to three times in a 40+ year career. The investment in the physical, emotional, and financial well-being of employees is hugely important for retention and overall morale. Wise companies looking toward long-term goals will see it as a growth opportunity for competitiveness and improvement. Other responses included: Even folks who do not plan to have children can look to a company’s parental leave policy as an indication of how important employee well-being is to them. Employee support is an important factor in attracting top talent in the field. O&P companies would do well to adopt these parental leave policies early before it is legislated for them. I think having the option to take an extended maternity leave would help more women generally (not just in O&P) stay in the workforce after having children. I think it’s a very difficult position to be in to have to leave your infant six to 12 weeks after giving birth. The results of this survey unequivocally show that O&P companies are falling short in offering adequate and effective parental leave policies. In today’s world, the importance of parental leave is increasingly recognized by companies in every industry. It is important that the field makes the necessary changes to provide clinicians who may choose to start a family with improved policies. The results of this survey can be utilized by employers and employees alike to identify areas of change and create impactful policies to support employees moving forward. Maureen (Mo) Connelly Boyle, CPO/L, is a practitioner in the southern Chicago suburbs. She can be contacted at mboyle@hanger.com. Kristin Wendell, CPO/L, is a practitioner in the western Chicago suburbs. She can be contacted at kwendell@hanger.com. References Froese, M. 2016. Maternity Leave in the United States: Facts You Need to Know. Healthline , Healthline Media, www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/united-states-maternity-leave-facts Paid Maternity Leave by State 2021. 2023. com , https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/paid-maternity-leave-by-state. Borowsky, L. 2023. Women prosthetists are making an impact on amputee care. Amplitude 9(5):18-23.

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Parental Leave in O&P: Where Do We Stand?

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