US Trails the Leaders in 'Glass Ceiling Index'

The Economist is out with its annual glass-ceiling index, which ranks conditions for working women in 29 countries. Sweden has replaced Iceland at the top of the list, which takes into account factors such as salaries, representation in the labor force, and paid parental leave. As for the US, it failed to crack the top 10, and nearly missed the top 20. Details, including why America's number is relatively low:

The best 10 countries:

1. Sweden
2. Iceland
3. Finland
4. Norway
5. France (tie)
6. New Zealand (tie)
7. Portugal (tie)
8. Spain
9. Denmark
10. Australia

• The US: A big reason for the lackluster No. 19 rating is the lack of federally mandated parental paid leave, for men or women, explains Forbes. The average paid maternity leave among the 29 countries was 31.6 weeks, with Hungary leading the way with 78.9 weeks. American workers have only the Family and Medical Leave Act, which guarantees up to 12 weeks.
• Bottom five: The countries at the bottom of the list are the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Japan, and South Korea, with Turkey in the 29th position.

See the full ranking, out to commemorate International Women's Day on March 8. (Or check out other lists.)