About Paternity Leave

Paternity leave is time off of work given to new fathers and new adoptive fathers. Employers offer this benefit, enabling fathers to spend time with their new children. This time is considered to be socially and developmentally important, allowing a father to bond with his family and in some cases learn how to care for his child.

  1. Geography

    • Paid paternity leave is common in most European countries, especially in countries offering state-sponsored health benefits in addition to those offered by private employers. While many countries in the world do offer paid leave for both parents, some countries (such as Australia and the United States) do not assist employers in the compensation of new parents during their leave. Among almost all cultures and countries, it is expected that the father will take a certain amount of time off of work to see to his family.

    Time Frame

    • The time frame of paternity leave varies according to country (and state/province in some cases), employer and available health care benefits. Some new fathers opt to save their paid vacation and sick leave time until the birth of their child so that there is less of a financial burden. Paternal leave can last anywhere from no days paid to 16 months fully compensated. Countries that do not offer paid leave, such as the United States, do have legal provisions in place for fathers to take unpaid paternity leave. In the United States, this lasts 12 weeks. Many employers in all countries are becoming more flexible in their ability to offer both paid and unpaid paternity leave.

    Considerations

    • Some new fathers are unable to take paternity leave because of restrictions in their country, length of employment and financial concerns. These fathers still have other options if they speak with their employer. These include working overtime before the birth of the child in exchange for compensation time to be taken after the baby's birth, planning as much as possible around important events (baby's first birthday), and requesting permission to work from home.

    Effects

    • Babies who spend more time with their fathers within the first year of their life experience increased vocal activity and faster-developing motor skills versus those who do not. Lasting effects of paternal involvement begin as early as birth and include better grades and even higher wages.

    Misconceptions

    • Many fathers believe they will be putting their employment at risk if they take paternity leave. In almost all places, discrimination against male employees for taking paternity leave is illegal. While many companies offer paternity leave in the United States, men are sometimes reluctant to take it, fearing it will negatively affect their career.

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