Final answer:
Maternity leave under policies like the CDCA in the U.S. grants up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for the birth of a child, applicable to any child, with no paid leave mandated at the federal level. Employee job protection is included, but the U.S. does not provide paid parental leave unlike many other countries.
Step-by-step explanation:
Regarding maternity leave under the CDCA (presumably referring to a general policy comparable to the Family and Medical Leave Act in the United States), it allows employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for family reasons, which includes the birth of a child. This provision applies regardless of whether it is the first child or for the third child and beyond. However, it's important to note that this is unpaid leave, and there is no paid leave capped at any level provided under this federal law.
Protection for the employee's job is a key feature of this familial leave policy. Nonetheless, by international standards, the U.S. lacks in providing paid leave for new parents. As highlighted, many European countries and other industrialized nations offer paid maternity and parental leave, which can contrast significantly with the United States' approach towards maternity leave and employee protection. The U.S. federal government does not mandate paid leave for new parents, which sets it apart from the vast majority of other countries studied by the OECD.