[Casloy]

Have friends who live in Sweden and the stories boggle the mind. A Swedish woman came to work for the American Embassy, then got pregnant a month later and got two years off with full pay. It's the law. Companies are leaving Sweden in droves because of the incredibly high cost of benefits they are required to give workers, who often abuse the system. It's a country on the brink of financial ruin and all too typical of the rest of Europe.

[americanbychoice2]

I have been predicting this for a year now. Of course the "sophisticated Europeans" see only utopia in the EU.
Oh well.....................

Old Europe is pouring in a lot of money into the new countries. They will want it back in the future to pay for their self made social system which is already bankrupt.
That's when the real problems begin.

"Old Europe needs new Europe more than the other way around.

[johnandrhonda]

And think how bad-off Sweden and other European countries would be if they had to support a military in the same way that American taxpayers do...

[SAMS]

Same here in Germany, worked with a "Local National" who left to have a baby, she was gone for almost a year, then, when she came back...she only has to work for 3 out of 5 days.

[riri]

I was just read about this last night. In Norway, for the first year you will get 80 percent of your salary, paid by the state. The company has to give you the same position back after that year.

Then if you choose to stay a second year, the state pays you 30 percent of your former pay.

They are having serious debate about extending this benefit into the 3rd year.