baby, I wasn't forced back to work sooner than I wanted to by financial pressure. As a former CEO, I suspect Mayer will also have the choice to return to work -- financial necessity won't be a factor for her as it is for far too many new mums in the US (and here at home). Because as Forbes.com reports, the United States aren't exactly leading the world when it comes to paid maternity leave: Working women are granted 12 weeks' unpaid time off to care for a newborn or adopted child, with the guarantee of the same job when they return. To qualify, they must have been employed for at least 12 months at the same firm before the time off and have worked a minimum of 1,250 hours during the same period. What makes this law so unhelpful for many working women is that companies with fewer than 50 employees are exempt from abiding by it -- meaning that these smaller firms are not obligated to grant any time off to care for a newborn (or sick family member). Although many large companies, such as Wall Street outfits and telecommunication firms, offer some kind of paid-leave package, more than half of U.S. companies employ fewer than 50 people. The statistics are revealing. A 2008 report from the Families and Work Institute indicated that 16% of companies with at least 100 employees provide full pay during maternity leave. This is down from 27% in 1998. Even for those who