With limited paid family leave offered by her job, Ruby B. Sutton, an environmental engineer at a mining site in northeastern Nevada, decided to stay home with her new baby full time.
Sutton, 32, said the minimal paid maternity leave that her employer offered didn't seem like enough time for her body to heal from giving birth or to bond with her firstborn. Those concerns were magnified when she needed an emergency cesarean section.AdvertisementSutton quit her job because she felt even additional unpaid time off wouldn't be enough. She also knew child care following maternity leave would cost a substantial portion of her salary if she returned to work.
And workers in rural areas face even more challenges than those in cities, including greater distances to hospitals and fewer medical providers, exacerbating health and income disparities. Companies in rural areas may be less likely to voluntarily offer the benefit because they tend to be smaller and there are fewer employers for workers to choose from.
Experts say the gaps in paid leave requirements mean workers in rural areas often struggle to care for themselves or loved ones while making ends meet."The problem is, because it's a small percentage of the population, it's often forgotten," said Anne Lofaso, a professor of law at West Virginia University.