Although some research suggests that parenthood can enrich a professional manager's workplace capabilities, the United States falls starkly behind most countries when it comes to legally mandated paid leaves (including maternity absences and family sick days) and work hours protections, according to research released this year by Harvard and McGill universities. Here's how we compare to 173 other countries
• 137 countries mandate paid annual leave. 121 countries guarantee two weeks or more each year. The United States does not require employers to provide paid annual leave.
• At least 134 countries have laws that fix the maximum length of the workweek. The United States does not have a maximum length of the workweek or a limit on mandatory overtime per week.
• 28 countries have restrictions or prohibitions on night work; 50 have government-mandated evening and night wage premiums. The United States does neither.
• At least 126 countries require employers to provide a mandatory day of rest each week. The United States does not guarantee workers this 24-hour break.
• At least 145 countries provide paid sick days for short- or long-term illnesses, with 136 providing a week or more annually. More than 79 countries provide sickness benefits for at least 26 weeks or until recovery. The United States provides only unpaid leave for serious illnesses through the FMLA [Family Medical Leave Act], which does not cover all workers.
• 49 countries guarantee leave for major family events such as marriage or funerals; in 40 of those countries, leave for one or both of these family events is paid.
• The U.S. guarantees no paid leave for mothers in any segment of the workforce, leaving it in the company of only four other nations: Lesotho, Liberia, Papua New Guinea and Swaziland.
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