Elise Chapin writes, about Italy:

<<The first maternity leave law was passed in 1971 and gave employed
 women the right to 5 months MANDATORY leave (2 months before and 3 after
 the birth) WITH PAY. If you work for the government, you get 100% of your
 pay, if you work in the private sector, 80%. Later laws in 1987 and 1990
 gave the same rights to free-lancers and self-employed women. >>

Elise, who pays 80% of the income of freelancers and self-employed women?  Is
it a check from the government?

Elisheva Urbas
NYC

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