Danielle Schenavar
Paternity Leave Equality
Siena Heights University
MGT 360--Human Resource Management
Dr. Ball; Winter, 2015
Paternity Leave Equality
Siena Heights University
MGT 360--Human Resource Management
Dr. Ball; Winter, 2015
Paternity Leave Equality
The year is 2015, and women are continuing to be chastised for becoming pregnant by their workplaces. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a federal agency that enforces employment discrimination laws such as, The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978. This act states, “the female who is unable to perform her job owing to pregnancy must be treated the same as other temporarily disabled employees” (2011). Alternative tasks or modified duties should be offered. This law includes all; hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, benefits, layoffs, and training. FMLA, the Family and Medical Leave Act is also enforced to protect against the discrimination of pregnant women, but only in companies with fifty or more employees (Dias, 2011, p. 84-85).
Current Standard
While some women are fighting to keep jobs when they become pregnant or attempting to be hired in their childbearing years, many of them receive some sort of maternity leave. The average maternity leave in the US is 6 weeks for a regular vaginal delivery and 8 weeks for an uncomplicated cesarean delivery. “America is the only high-income country, and one of only eight countries in the world that does not mandate paid leave for new mothers (2015). Does anyone know the amount of paternity leave men receive after a birth or adoption of a child in the US? Only 13% of employers offer paid paternity leave in the US. 75% of men that do not receive paternity leave take off work for a week or less, and 16% are not able to take any days off. In a 2012 study, it was found that only 12% of fathers took the paid paternal leave that was offered, while 69% of mothers took the paid leave offered (Swanson, 2015).
How do Men Feel?
Currently in the US, while I believe men would like to take the time off to be with their growing family, they refrain due to the stigma they receive at the office. A 2012 study found that only 12% of fathers actually took the paid time off that their employers offered them, while 69% of women utilized the paid parental leave. Most of the new fathers that did in fact utilize the paid time off were still involved with work projects while on leave (Hall, 2013). There is unspoken pressure at the workplace for men that take the maximum allotted leave time. The fear stems from the unspoken disapproval and questions of dedication that are a result of extended leave. Taking time off for family affairs; such as paternity leave, leave men fearful of being perceived as a weaker employee or not dedicated to their work. The fear how they are perceived will hinder their chances for pay increase and promotions that they would otherwise be suited for. On occasion there are companies that have written paternity leave policies for men to use, but the workplace norms contradict the written policy and deter men from taking leave. Most men whether eligible for paid leave or not, take approximately a week if they take any time at all. In one instance a MLB player was criticized when he decided to take a few days of paternity leave that was offered by Major League Baseball. Talk show hosts boomed, "I would have said: C-Section before the season starts, I need to be at opening day" and " You're a Major League Baseball player; you can hire a nurse." While some may receive more subtle disapproval from co-workers, society, or supervisors, they make the employee aware they believe the leave is unacceptable whether it is a written policy or not (2014).
A study completed at the University of Oregon tracked men that took time off for family obligations had lost 15.5% in earnings over the course of their careers. Another study showed that men that used flex time or flexible work arrangements had received worse job evaluations and lower hourly raises. A third found that men that requested the family leave time were at greater risk of demotion or being laid off. They were perceived to have negative traits that are used to describe women, not masculine characteristics like drive and competitiveness. "Workplace culture may be both the most important and the hardest thing to change to encourage paternity leave" (Miller, 2014).
Sweden has the right idea!
Sweden has another approach to paternity leave. About 85% of Swedish fathers take paternity leave, making it the norm. They do not face questions from society which makes taking the leave easier. Companies have come to expect both genders to take the leave and are not slighted when it comes time for promotions. The increased family time has lowered divorce rates and increased joint custody of children. Mothers in Sweden take much more time off then the men, about four times as much time. The laws in Sweden reserve two months paid leave for men. Parents are allotted 390 days of paid leave and they can use to their discretion up until the child’s eighth birthday. 80% of fathers now take a third of the total 13 months of leave they are given, and 9% take 40% or more. When the leave taken is the norm, there are fewer stigmas for the men back at the workplace. Many companies are using family friendly work patterns as a way to attract new talent. Where bigger paychecks used to be the goal, more and more they are looking for a “work-life balance”. “The only way to achieve equality in society is to achieve equality in the home. Getting fathers to share the parental leave is an essential part of that” (Bennhold, 2010).
The Need for Equality
Forcing equality between maternity and paternity leave is better for multiple reasons, including better decisions on childcare. Equal leave will encourage both parents to learn the necessary skills that are required to care for the child such as; diaper changes, bathing, feeding, emotional bonding time, and much more. Women are expected to be the more nurturing parent and care for the child. Some women give up on their careers once the children come because they feel they need to be the nurturing parent, and others decide to forgo their career because of society standards. They may not want to be the parent to give up the career for the stay at home parent role, but year after year this is the stigma we have as women. Having both parents stay home initially can even benefit their wives; they could have increased career earnings and a decreased chance of depression in the nine months following childbirth. Forcing both parents to spend time with the newborn could be a step toward overcoming that expectation.
Paternity leave equality I believe will also improve society as a whole. There is significant inequality in the workplace between men and women, as women are perceived as a risk, possibly becoming pregnant and needing long periods of time off of work. Forcing equal leave time evens out the risk factor between the men and the women. If a man and a woman with comparable skills are interviewed for the position, the employer is more likely to hire the male because they are less risk for time off work. Women whether they plan to have children or not are stereotyped by employers and are often times passed up for promotions or positions, even earning less in a current position. The inequality at the workplace can often carry over into the home. Giving women more leave than a man in the first year of the child’s life seems to establish her as the primary caregiver, a trend that is hard to reverse later on. Women, because they are more likely to make less are more likely to give up their careers and stay at home. Forcing equal leave will remove the incentive employers have to hire men over women. This also reduces the inequality at home that the man of the house is the ‘breadwinner’.
Finally, this is not just about the parents. Overall having both parents home after accepting a new child in the home is better for the child. Parents caring for their child immediately after birth tend to create a stronger and more emotional bond with the child. The mother already has a special bond from having carried the child, the father needs that time right out of the womb to connect with the newborn. Having two parents contributing equally to a child’s care also enhances the child’s development. The child will perceive gender roles as they grow up, and having equality in the home will affect how the child will act when they come into adulthood (McGregor, 2013).
Conclusion
In conclusion, both men and women regardless of gender should be allotted paternity leave after the birth or adoption of a child. Society standards need to be swayed to understand that family life and raising tomorrow's leaders, in the long run warrants the paid time off for both parents. Women may need additional time for medical reasons, but for equality at the workplace and home, both should be granted paternity time. Times have changed from when men were solely the breadwinners of the family, and women need to stay home and raise the family. There are benefits to the mother, father, and of course the child if the initial bond is created and both parents are perceived as the caregiver equally.
The year is 2015, and women are continuing to be chastised for becoming pregnant by their workplaces. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a federal agency that enforces employment discrimination laws such as, The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978. This act states, “the female who is unable to perform her job owing to pregnancy must be treated the same as other temporarily disabled employees” (2011). Alternative tasks or modified duties should be offered. This law includes all; hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, benefits, layoffs, and training. FMLA, the Family and Medical Leave Act is also enforced to protect against the discrimination of pregnant women, but only in companies with fifty or more employees (Dias, 2011, p. 84-85).
Current Standard
While some women are fighting to keep jobs when they become pregnant or attempting to be hired in their childbearing years, many of them receive some sort of maternity leave. The average maternity leave in the US is 6 weeks for a regular vaginal delivery and 8 weeks for an uncomplicated cesarean delivery. “America is the only high-income country, and one of only eight countries in the world that does not mandate paid leave for new mothers (2015). Does anyone know the amount of paternity leave men receive after a birth or adoption of a child in the US? Only 13% of employers offer paid paternity leave in the US. 75% of men that do not receive paternity leave take off work for a week or less, and 16% are not able to take any days off. In a 2012 study, it was found that only 12% of fathers took the paid paternal leave that was offered, while 69% of mothers took the paid leave offered (Swanson, 2015).
How do Men Feel?
Currently in the US, while I believe men would like to take the time off to be with their growing family, they refrain due to the stigma they receive at the office. A 2012 study found that only 12% of fathers actually took the paid time off that their employers offered them, while 69% of women utilized the paid parental leave. Most of the new fathers that did in fact utilize the paid time off were still involved with work projects while on leave (Hall, 2013). There is unspoken pressure at the workplace for men that take the maximum allotted leave time. The fear stems from the unspoken disapproval and questions of dedication that are a result of extended leave. Taking time off for family affairs; such as paternity leave, leave men fearful of being perceived as a weaker employee or not dedicated to their work. The fear how they are perceived will hinder their chances for pay increase and promotions that they would otherwise be suited for. On occasion there are companies that have written paternity leave policies for men to use, but the workplace norms contradict the written policy and deter men from taking leave. Most men whether eligible for paid leave or not, take approximately a week if they take any time at all. In one instance a MLB player was criticized when he decided to take a few days of paternity leave that was offered by Major League Baseball. Talk show hosts boomed, "I would have said: C-Section before the season starts, I need to be at opening day" and " You're a Major League Baseball player; you can hire a nurse." While some may receive more subtle disapproval from co-workers, society, or supervisors, they make the employee aware they believe the leave is unacceptable whether it is a written policy or not (2014).
A study completed at the University of Oregon tracked men that took time off for family obligations had lost 15.5% in earnings over the course of their careers. Another study showed that men that used flex time or flexible work arrangements had received worse job evaluations and lower hourly raises. A third found that men that requested the family leave time were at greater risk of demotion or being laid off. They were perceived to have negative traits that are used to describe women, not masculine characteristics like drive and competitiveness. "Workplace culture may be both the most important and the hardest thing to change to encourage paternity leave" (Miller, 2014).
Sweden has the right idea!
Sweden has another approach to paternity leave. About 85% of Swedish fathers take paternity leave, making it the norm. They do not face questions from society which makes taking the leave easier. Companies have come to expect both genders to take the leave and are not slighted when it comes time for promotions. The increased family time has lowered divorce rates and increased joint custody of children. Mothers in Sweden take much more time off then the men, about four times as much time. The laws in Sweden reserve two months paid leave for men. Parents are allotted 390 days of paid leave and they can use to their discretion up until the child’s eighth birthday. 80% of fathers now take a third of the total 13 months of leave they are given, and 9% take 40% or more. When the leave taken is the norm, there are fewer stigmas for the men back at the workplace. Many companies are using family friendly work patterns as a way to attract new talent. Where bigger paychecks used to be the goal, more and more they are looking for a “work-life balance”. “The only way to achieve equality in society is to achieve equality in the home. Getting fathers to share the parental leave is an essential part of that” (Bennhold, 2010).
The Need for Equality
Forcing equality between maternity and paternity leave is better for multiple reasons, including better decisions on childcare. Equal leave will encourage both parents to learn the necessary skills that are required to care for the child such as; diaper changes, bathing, feeding, emotional bonding time, and much more. Women are expected to be the more nurturing parent and care for the child. Some women give up on their careers once the children come because they feel they need to be the nurturing parent, and others decide to forgo their career because of society standards. They may not want to be the parent to give up the career for the stay at home parent role, but year after year this is the stigma we have as women. Having both parents stay home initially can even benefit their wives; they could have increased career earnings and a decreased chance of depression in the nine months following childbirth. Forcing both parents to spend time with the newborn could be a step toward overcoming that expectation.
Paternity leave equality I believe will also improve society as a whole. There is significant inequality in the workplace between men and women, as women are perceived as a risk, possibly becoming pregnant and needing long periods of time off of work. Forcing equal leave time evens out the risk factor between the men and the women. If a man and a woman with comparable skills are interviewed for the position, the employer is more likely to hire the male because they are less risk for time off work. Women whether they plan to have children or not are stereotyped by employers and are often times passed up for promotions or positions, even earning less in a current position. The inequality at the workplace can often carry over into the home. Giving women more leave than a man in the first year of the child’s life seems to establish her as the primary caregiver, a trend that is hard to reverse later on. Women, because they are more likely to make less are more likely to give up their careers and stay at home. Forcing equal leave will remove the incentive employers have to hire men over women. This also reduces the inequality at home that the man of the house is the ‘breadwinner’.
Finally, this is not just about the parents. Overall having both parents home after accepting a new child in the home is better for the child. Parents caring for their child immediately after birth tend to create a stronger and more emotional bond with the child. The mother already has a special bond from having carried the child, the father needs that time right out of the womb to connect with the newborn. Having two parents contributing equally to a child’s care also enhances the child’s development. The child will perceive gender roles as they grow up, and having equality in the home will affect how the child will act when they come into adulthood (McGregor, 2013).
Conclusion
In conclusion, both men and women regardless of gender should be allotted paternity leave after the birth or adoption of a child. Society standards need to be swayed to understand that family life and raising tomorrow's leaders, in the long run warrants the paid time off for both parents. Women may need additional time for medical reasons, but for equality at the workplace and home, both should be granted paternity time. Times have changed from when men were solely the breadwinners of the family, and women need to stay home and raise the family. There are benefits to the mother, father, and of course the child if the initial bond is created and both parents are perceived as the caregiver equally.