Note that this is only for the statutory minimum -- many employers offer better-than-statutory as part of their benefits package.

But I disagree with you that the major reason why every company offers at least the statutory minimum is because they're getting a rebate. I think it is simply because it is a legal requirement. The rebate is just the government as a policy choice shifting the cost of it around a bit.

That means that employers ultimately pay at least half of the costs.

It means that folks won't lose their job when the doctor orders bed rest in the last month. It gives time for proper care of children. And so on. You might be helping pay for someone else's benefits, but if you ever need them, you are paying for your own as well.

Heck, I'm childless by choice (and female on top of this) and I completely approve of such things - for both mothers and fathers. I'm fine with parents getting more sick leave for their children. After all, they have more responsibility than I do. Children with proper support are more likely to grow up to be good adults. I will probably need these adults as I age.

And it isn't like this sort of cost is limited to such things as parental leave. If you pay for your hospital bill, you are helping pay for folks that do not. Shop retail? You are paying for theft, charity work they do, and whatever benefits they give their employees. Pay taxes? You are helping pay for roads you don't use, wars you don't agree with, politician benefits and pay, and a slew of other things.

I'll add that sometimes the placement of price makes all the difference. For example, when taxes are included in the price on the shelf, there is no more pain at the register. Most places have electronic receipts that can tell you how much tax you've paid, so the cost isn't hidden. Taxpayer-funded health care means you can better budget for everyday life's ups and downs, especially the health things that are out of one's control. It matters where the price and cost actually are.

There's a societal cost to not paying for rational breaks. You get breakdowns instead.

1) Can you keep your job after you go on leave? Yes, for 12 weeks, protected by FMLA (at least in theory)

2) Factoring in the cost of that insurance policy, are you satisfied with your income level?

Some quick googling suggests that there are disability insurance companies that will cover maternity leave, but they must be making a profit on it somehow or they wouldn't offer it. Besides which, I don't think there's any way paternity leave could be considered a disability, so it's no help there.

If this were rolled into social security, the cost could be more spread out. Since it's beneficial for us to have a growing population, I think it's in all our interest to support children being born, even if we don't want to have them ourselves.

In Germany companies get reimbursed100% 6 weeks before and 8 weeks after birth, which is motherhood protection leave during which mothers are not allowed to work with regular pay (part of which comes from health insurance, the rest from the employer)

Parental leave is unpaid but you cannot fire someone for or during taking it.

While on parenteral leave (Elternzeit) above the mandated minimum (Mutterschutz) you don't even get paid by your employer but you get 66% of your last pay up to a maximum amount from social securities.