For Dads it is still rare to find companies in the U.S. that offer a paid Paternity leave for Fathers. This stems from the fact that the U.S. does not have any guidelines around a federally mandated paid parental leave (PPL) program. The current U.S. FMLA program addresses unpaid parental leave (up to 12 weeks) for companies with greater than 50 employees. However, the Federal Government does not address a PPL plan. The only area this has changed is with a new program for Government workers.
The U.S. has No Parental Leave Policy
This puts the U.S. in very rare company. The U.S. and Suriname are the only countries in the Western Hemisphere that do not offer a PPL plan according to a study by Texas A&M Medical. Globally, there are only a handful of the 193 countries that make up the United Nations that do not offer a PPL plan as well. United States is in this group with Suriname, Papua New Guinee and some other small island countries.
According to a study by the Pew Research Center, the U.S. is the sole country among 41 developed nations that does not have a federal mandated PPL program. And for Dads, 34 of these 41 developed countries also provide a Paternity leave option as part of their PPL.
I took a few days of vacation when we brought home our first baby (adoption) and felt guilty about even taking this time. Having a federally sponsored PPL plan would remove this guilt and provide clarity of expectations between employees and employers. I still wonder what exactly in the office I was rushing back to. I had a great team that would have shouldered the work, but I felt compelled to get back. I saw other men coming back to work quickly after having a new baby and projected that expectation on myself.
A Push for Change
There seems to be some positive momentum in this space. Several states have already implemented a PPL plan for employees in their state (Paycor article provides great details). Some municipalities have done the same for companies operating in their communities. We are seeing a movement by large and forward thinking companies to provide generous PPL options for their employees. As this article from Business Insider highlights, Tech and Financial companies are leading the way in this space. Many of these companies are offering 4+ months of paid leave to one or both parents. These types of incentives can be a deciding factor when choosing employment with an eye on maintaining favorable work-life balance.
And this topic is one of few that is not divided down partisan line. Both the Trump administration and the Biden administration have signaled their support around a Federal PPL plan. The Trump administration implemented a PPL for Federal Workers. This article by NPR discusses how this was generally approved across party lines. The Trump administration saw this as a first step to a larger program that would be Federally mandated for all workers. Although both parties supported the Federal Employee PPL plan, getting alignment on what a national plan would look like appears to be a ways off.
COVID Effect on Paid Parental Leave
The COVID-19 Pandemic also brought Parental Leave to the forefront. Parents of newborns that had to go back to work quickly after bringing home their baby, where thought to be putting their new child at risk. While the Pandemic also brought up the subject of whether children taking care of elderly or high-risk parents/relatives should be afforded a paid leave as well.
All of this is to say, that we are making baby steps as a country to a PPL plan. Influential corporations will have to carry this torch for the time being, as the government will move slowly. Both sides will look to push their other agendas as they debate how to roll out a Federal PPL plan. For Fathers, the Paid Paternal option will move even a bit slower to come together. If you have one now that is afforded to you by your employer, applaud them and don’t make the mistake of missing this opportunity! The time with a new born goes quickly, so take advantage of any opportunity that you have to bond with your new child.