--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Were the only advanced country on Earth…" description: "\"Were the only advanced country on Earth that doesnt guarantee paid sick leave or paid maternity leave.\" — Barack Obama" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bf/barack-obama-17_maternity-leave_were-the-only-advanced-country-on-earth_1218316.jpg" --- # Were the only advanced country on Earth that doesnt… ![“Were the only advanced country on Earth that doesnt guarantee paid sick leave or paid maternity leave.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bf/barack-obama-17_maternity-leave_were-the-only-advanced-country-on-earth_1218316.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bf/barack-obama-17_maternity-leave_were-the-only-advanced-country-on-earth_1218316.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bf/barack-obama-17_maternity-leave_were-the-only-advanced-country-on-earth_1218316.jpg) > “Were the only advanced country on Earth that doesnt guarantee paid sick leave or paid maternity leave.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The U.S., despite its advancement, lacks universal paid sick and maternity leave. **In simple terms:** Advanced nation missing basic worker benefits. Key Takeaway Advocate for comprehensive leave policies. Themes policy equity labor rights Mood concerned serious Type political policy When to use this quote - workplace negotiations - legislative advocacy - HR policy reviews Key Concepts Social welfare Public health Questions to Reflect On - What arguments support universal leave? - How can businesses balance costs and employee health? A Different Perspective Economic concerns may oppose expanded benefits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advanced Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advanced-country-3278563/) [Maternity leave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maternity-leave/) [Paid Maternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paid-maternity-1797742/) [Paid Sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paid-sick-875361/) [Sick leave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sick-leave/) ## Related quotes > [Send me a bill that gives every worker in America the opportunity to earn seven days of paid sick leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/send-me-a-bill-that-gives-every-worker-in-america-the-opportunity-to/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I believe very strongly in paid sick leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-maloney/i-believe-very-strongly-in-paid-sick-leave/) [Carolyn Maloney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-maloney/) > [Voluntary paid maternity leave: yes; compulsory paid maternity leave: over this Government’s dead body, frankly. It just won’t happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/voluntary-paid-maternity-leave-yes-compulsory-paid-maternity-leave/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [Equal pay, paid leave, paid sick days, workplace flexibility, and affordable childcare - everywhere I go around the United States, as I talk to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/equal-pay-paid-leave-paid-sick-days-workplace-flexibility-and/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [Providing working Minnesotans with at least seven days of paid sick leave every year is the right thing to do to. It benefits our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dayton/providing-working-minnesotans-with-at-least-seven-days-of-paid-sick/) [Mark Dayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dayton/) > [One reason the United States is one of three countries in the world that do not have any form of paid maternity leave is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-m-kunin/one-reason-the-united-states-is-one-of-three-countries-in-the-world/) [Madeleine M. Kunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-m-kunin/) > [We need affordable childcare and paid sick leave so workers don't have to choose between their health and their livelihood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-speier/we-need-affordable-childcare-and-paid-sick-leave-so-workers-don-t/) [Jackie Speier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-speier/) > [Early childhood offerings vary, but everywhere in Europe and in Canada, they're far more generous than in the United States. Ukrainian dads may not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-druckerman/early-childhood-offerings-vary-but-everywhere-in-europe-and-in-canada/) [Pamela Druckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-druckerman/) > [ “\[D\]emanding wages for housework (…) forced recognition of the fact that the domestic work which women do has economic value. But many feminists feel… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nivedita-menon/d-emanding-wages-for-housework-forced-recognition-of-the-fact-that/) [Nivedita Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nivedita-menon/) > [As a public health official, paid sick leave is first and foremost an issue of health - of people's lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leana-s-wen/as-a-public-health-official-paid-sick-leave-is-first-and-foremost-an/) [Leana S. Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leana-s-wen/) > [Paid sick leave is a public health necessity. Not only does it allow employees to seek medical care promptly and appropriately, it reduces the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leana-s-wen/paid-sick-leave-is-a-public-health-necessity-not-only-does-it-allow/) [Leana S. Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leana-s-wen/) > [Beginning in the 1800s with the Industrial Revolution, when women started to go into the formal workforce, leaving working at home to working in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-heymann/beginning-in-the-1800s-with-the-industrial-revolution-when-women/) [Jody Heymann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-heymann/) > [We're the only developed country in the world that doesn't have paid maternity leave. Paternity leave is just as important. Paid family medical leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/we-re-the-only-developed-country-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-have-paid/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [The key is the Internet. The United States is by far the most advanced country in this new digital culture, so we have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-slim/the-key-is-the-internet-the-united-states-is-by-far-the-most-advanced/) [Carlos Slim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-slim/) > [Our financial system, for as advanced a country that we are, could be so much better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baiju-bhatt/our-financial-system-for-as-advanced-a-country-that-we-are-could-be/) [Baiju Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baiju-bhatt/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Maternity leave quotes > [“Forty percent of employed mothers lack sick days and vacation leave, and about 50 percent of employed mothers are unable to take time off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/forty-percent-of-employed-mothers-lack-sick-days-and-vacation-leave/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [I come from Canada, and maternity leave is six months to a year, and they also have paternity leave, and I think that there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cobie-smulders/i-come-from-canada-and-maternity-leave-is-six-months-to-a-year-and/) [Cobie Smulders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cobie-smulders/) > [Every time a woman leaves the workforce because she can't find or afford childcare, or she can't work out a flexible arrangement with her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-m-kunin/every-time-a-woman-leaves-the-workforce-because-she-can-t-find-or/) [Madeleine M. Kunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-m-kunin/) > [The truth is I don't want my baby out in the freezing cold just because there's an election. But there is no such thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemi-badenoch/the-truth-is-i-don-t-want-my-baby-out-in-the-freezing-cold-just/) [Kemi Badenoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemi-badenoch/) > [Maternity leave is for women to hide and heal their disintegrating body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-wong/maternity-leave-is-for-women-to-hide-and-heal-their-disintegrating/) [Ali Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-wong/) > [I had to learn how to not be a micro-manager. Maternity leave made me do that. I just couldn't anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reshma-saujani/i-had-to-learn-how-to-not-be-a-micro-manager-maternity-leave-made-me/) [Reshma Saujani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reshma-saujani/) > [“It is cheaper and more efficient to replace labour than to reproduce it sequentially by fulfilling the rights of women workers to maternity leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-palmer/it-is-cheaper-and-more-efficient-to-replace-labour-than-to-reproduce/) [Gabrielle Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-palmer/) > [While I am a pro-life woman, I am also a woman who is concerned about rights for the disabled, maternity leave, the death penalty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-johnson/while-i-am-a-pro-life-woman-i-am-also-a-woman-who-is-concerned-about/) [Abby Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-johnson/) > [In German science, we have a special problem. We lose talented women at the time they get pregnant. Some of it occurs because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-nusslein-volhard/in-german-science-we-have-a-special-problem-we-lose-talented-women-at/) [Christiane Nusslein-Volhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-nusslein-volhard/) > [Beginning in the 1800s with the Industrial Revolution, when women started to go into the formal workforce, leaving working at home to working in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-heymann/beginning-in-the-1800s-with-the-industrial-revolution-when-women/) [Jody Heymann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-heymann/) > [“Sure, equal pay, maternity leaves, and pro sports are important. But a girl can't make a free throw from the foul line if her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mclaughlin/sure-equal-pay-maternity-leaves-and-pro-sports-are-important-but-a/) [Emma McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mclaughlin/) > [I'm excited about going back to 'Today,' but, at odd moments, I'll grit my teeth in anxiety. I feel like a student before the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-pauley/i-m-excited-about-going-back-to-today-but-at-odd-moments-i-ll-grit-my/) [Jane Pauley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-pauley/) > [Because women get more labor rights than men, meaning they get maternity leave, the employer prefers to hire men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jair-bolsonaro/because-women-get-more-labor-rights-than-men-meaning-they-get/) [Jair Bolsonaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jair-bolsonaro/) > [It's interesting that there's so many different sides of this: Women get frustrated that we don't get paid enough; and then the Republicans or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lawrence/it-s-interesting-that-there-s-so-many-different-sides-of-this-women/) [Jennifer Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lawrence/) > [I sold my first short story while I was home on maternity leave, then began working on novels. Since I was reading and enjoying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/i-sold-my-first-short-story-while-i-was-home-on-maternity-leave-then/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) [Browse all 59 Maternity leave quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maternity-leave/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Were the only advanced country on Earth that doesnt guarantee paid sick leave or paid maternity leave.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/were-the-only-advanced-country-on-earth-that-doesnt-guarantee-paid/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Maternity leave" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/were-the-only-advanced-country-on-earth-that-doesnt-guarantee-paid/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bf/barack-obama-17_maternity-leave_were-the-only-advanced-country-on-earth_1218316.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bf/barack-obama-17_maternity-leave_were-the-only-advanced-country-on-earth_1218316.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bf/barack-obama-17_maternity-leave_were-the-only-advanced-country-on-earth_1218316.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Were the only advanced country on Earth that doesnt guarantee paid sick leave or paid maternity leave.” — Barack Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Barack Obama", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Were the only advanced country on...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/were-the-only-advanced-country-on-earth-that-doesnt-guarantee-paid/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/were-the-only-advanced-country-on-earth-that-doesnt-guarantee-paid/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```