Papa, Don't Leave

PAPA, DON'T CLEAVE PATERNITY LEAVE AROUND THE WORLD Newborn babies need their fathers around, at least to give exhausted mothers the extra helping hand. But unlike other industrialized nations, the United States has no comprehensive policy for guaranteeing paid time off for recently anointed dads, who are forced to cobble together extra sick days and vacation time instead. In households where dads are the ones raising the new baby, getting by is even tougher. The United States among the world's countries that PAID PATERNITY LEAVE don't require any paid paternity leave for new fathers. U.S. PATERNITY LEAVE: THE SMALL PRINT MAXIMUM TIME ALLOWED (DAYS) Most American parents who take time off after their child's birth do so under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, which guarantees employees who work at companies with more than 50 employees 12 weeks unpaid leave for the birth or adoption of a new child, or medical leave for the employee or an immediate family member with a serious health condition. 500 SWEDEN 480 (UNPAID GERMANY | 365 CANADA 245 ALTHOUGH THE U.S. ALLOWS PARENTS UNPAID LEAVE, IT DOES NOT CURRENTLY HAVE A SWEEPING LEGISLATIVE POLICY FOR PATERNITY LEAVE. AUSTRALIA 126 POLICIES FOR STATES THAT DO HAVE PAID PATERNITY LEAVE: ITALY 90 STATE PAY AMOUNT WEEKS OF PAID PATERNITY LEAVE NORWAY 70 10 FINLAND 18 CALIFORNIA 55% PORTUGAL 6 weeks 15 22% SPAIN of weekly wages DENMARK 14 NEW JERSEY 14 66% POLAND 6 weeks UNITED KINGDOM 14 14 of weekly wages KENYA ONLY 22 PERCENT OF AMERICAN EMPLOYEES who are eligible under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 take the paternal leave because most can't afford the loss of income. WASHINGTON $1 $250 FRANCE 11 5 weeks per week BELGIUM 10 PHILIPPINES KEY HUNGARY OPINIONS HEARD AROUND THE GLOBE 101+ days off BRAZIL 11-100 days off QUEBEC, CANADA Would you ask for maximum paternity leave? UNITED KINGDOM According to a uSwitch survey, even though two paid weeks of paternity leave is an option in the United Kingdom, not all fathers end up taking it. IRELAND Should employers be obliged leave after the birth of their child? CHILE grant male employees paid paternity UGANDA 1-10 days off SWITZERLAND 4 out of 10 working dads in the United Kingdom don't take advantage of paternity leave. GREECE 60.2% said yes. 85% said yes. NETHERLANDS 0% 100% 16.7% said no. INDONESIA 52% believe that they wouldn't be able to afford to take the time off. UNITED STATES is at their employer's discretion. 23% said 49% don't think they could take the time off in their line of work. 0% 100% JAPAN CHINA 26% believe their career would suffer if they take the paternity leave. IRELAND 0% 100% INDIA SOURCES: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, PAIDFAMILYLEAVE.ORG, REUTERS.COM, HUFFINGTONPOST.COM, CATALYST.ORG, NEWSTALK.IE, CHINADAILY.COM, EMPLAW.CO.UK, NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR WOMEN & FAMILIES, CENTER FOR ECONOMIC AND POLICY RESEARCH, CLEARFACTS.CA, GUARDIAN.CO.UK A COLLABORATION BETWEEN GOOD AND COLUMN FIVE