Paid 6 weeks of maternity leave

Employers that hold over 30 employees should be mandated to pay their full time female employees who have worked for them over a year a min of 6 weeks of maternity leave. There are many employers who currently do provide paid maternity leave to their employees but many who do not. Government employees currently have to use their sick/vacation time in order to take maternity leave. If they do not have the time they may be allowed to take advance leave that must be paid back when they return to work. The other option if you do not have vacation or sick time is to take leave without pay. Missing even one paycheck can send a family into poverty. Also when you are on leave without pay the government does pay your health insurance premiums but they make you pay them back when you return to work. This of course will put the family in further debt. So again, I am pushing for all employers, including the federal government to pay their female employees 6 weeks of paid maternity leave at their regular rate of pay.