Why Men Should Receive Paid Paternity Leave
By Julia A. Keirns
John Doe works at a small company in Ohio. His wife is expecting a baby any day. The actual due date is September 11, 2020. He has been planning to use his vacation time to be off for the birth and the first two weeks at home. He had to forego a summer vacation in order to have the time left for the birth. Somehow, it does not seem fair that an employee should have to use personal vacation time for the birth of their child. He states that he has no other options but to use his personal time off. He gets absolutely no other benefits for being the father of the baby. When asked how paid time off could benefit him, he stated that it would make family time much more enjoyable, since now he will have no vacation time left for later in the year to spend quality time with them. He has to wait another whole year to have any vacation time left.
I believe men should receive paid paternity leave in the same manner that women receive paid maternity leave. Parental bonding with a newborn baby should not be limited to the sex of the parent requesting time off. Each family situation is unique and in some cases the father is needed at home just as much as the mother. Many times, a new mother cannot completely take care of themselves and the new baby. Time off from work to care for a spouse or a new baby can be critically important to a new father and the new family.
A new baby, whether born or adopted, is the responsibility of both parents, not just the mother. Mothers are no longer expected to bear this burden alone. Co-parenting should be encouraged by all institutions and workplaces as much as possible. Prohibiting a male parent from having the benefit of paid leave could fall under discrimination laws. If the employer offers paid maternity leave, then they must also offer paid paternity leave. It is true though that a lot of businesses do not offer paid leave for the pregnant woman other than medical disability time. Women have worked hard over the years to achieve equal paid benefits in the workplace and now men are having to fight their battle to achieve equal paid benefits in the home. Paid parental leave for fathers would help strengthen families by nurturing higher quality father-child relationships.
In most cases, the Family and Medical Leave Act allows for this time off, but employers have yet to implement the policy and men have yet to take advantage of it. And even though FMLA allows for the time off with no consequences, it does not require employers to pay for it. Paid time off would encourage more fathers to take advantage of the time to bond with their children. How many fathers can afford to take time off with no pay? Paid leave for fathers in America is evolving, but it is still a matter that is far behind policies in other countries. My John Doe states though that he is not allowed to use FMLA for his time off work. When I asked why, he just stated that his employer said he had to use his personal time first. He also mentioned that he could not afford to take weeks off work with no pay so using FMLA would not really benefit him.
In today’s world most families have two incomes. Paid time off for new fathers can allow the new mothers to go back to work sooner. A lot of new parents do not want to take their newborn baby to a sitter or daycare at such a young age, and if dad could have some time off work this would allow for a much smoother transition in mom going back to work. It also would allow for some father bonding time with their new child. It has been proven that access to parental leave provides numerous benefits to not only families, but the larger society as a whole.
Reasons that paid paternity leave for fathers is so important include the fact that supporting fathers in prioritizing their family responsibilities can significantly increase the personal and economic well-being of their families. Paternity leave can promote positive father-child bonding, improve outcomes for children, and increase gender equality in the home. Fathers today face many economic and social barriers that prevent them from spending more time at home with their families. Many employers do not offer any benefit at all to new fathers. Some do not even offer benefits to new mothers, but the system seems to be leaning in that direction.
Society has been taught over time that the female is responsible for the rearing of the children. It has always been taboo for the male partner to stay at home and do the housework. These are stereotypes we need to place in past history where they belong. Today, there is even the issue of two father families with no mother in the household. Society has not evolved enough to provide adequate benefits for many of these unique family situations. There are also many situations where the mother is incapable of caring for the babies. Situation examples could include a crippled mother or a mother with a serious illness. Families in these unique situations cannot afford to be without an income for even a short period of time. Paid time off for fathers in these situations could be highly beneficial to the family unit.
Increased father engagement in the home leads to improved mental and physical health and development outcomes for children. Fathers who are encouraged to spend more time at home with their children, become more involved in their children’s lives. Studies in other countries have proven that fathers who spend more time at home are more satisfied in their work as well, and their children are better behaved and more well-rounded as human beings. Having a positive father present in their lives and attending their events gives children more happiness.
Jane Doe is expecting her new baby on October 9. She works at a small business in Ohio and plans to work clear up to the day before the delivery. Any time that she takes off work is with no pay. “With the way things are, I can’t afford to miss any more work than I have to,” she stated. “We just can’t keep up with the bills if I don’t work full time.” “I have to use my temporary disability benefit to be off work for the birth and to stay home for a few weeks, but even with that the first two weeks are with no pay. I won’t receive a partial check until at least the third week, and by then I am going to have to try to come back part-time or we will get behind on the bills.” Families should have one or two months of pay cushioned in a bank account for such situations, but many are not able to do so.
When asked if her husband was able to take any time off to help, she stated that her husband would have to use vacation time. She said she did not want him to do that because she wanted to take a family vacation during in the summer before the baby came. The company that her husband works for does not offer any benefits to new fathers either. He is not allowed to use sick time or disability because it does not pertain to his personal health. He seems to have no other options. She stated that paid maternity leave and paid paternity leave would be wonderful and would help them keep the bills paid.
Parents struggle enough to get by in today’s world. Institutions and businesses should encourage the growth of the family structure by helping parents afford time off for the birth of their children, and these benefits should not be limited to the gender of the parent. There are many movements in the country and in the world for gender equality. This is just another one of the many instances that fall under that category. America has a long way to go, but progress is being made in the right direction.