For new dads, taking paternity leave can be trickier than it seems. For starters, in the United States, the vast majority of employers do not offer paid paternity leave. Of new dads without access to paid leave, 75% take less than a week off work following the birth of their child, while 16% don’t take a single day.
But even those with paid leave don’t always take what they’re afforded. Whether due to economic constraints or workplace pressures, some new dads cut short time with their families and get pulled back to work.
Why is this a problem? Public perception is changing as dads and advocates become vocal about the reasons dads need paternity leave. And, as more and more companies gain notoriety for the great paternity leave plans they’re offering, prospective employees want to know that paternity leave is offered and encouraged.
Below, we’ll look at some of the reasons why new dads aren’t taking paternity leave — and why this matters to your business.
1. It’s not offered
Only about 15% of employers offer some form of paid paternity leave. And, among the other 85%, not all of those companies are covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for eligible employees after the birth or adoption of a child.
2. They can’t afford to
Even companies that do offer some form of paid leave for fathers don’t always cover the employee’s full salary for the duration of the leave. In a new study by Boston College’s Center for Work and Families, more than 80% of fathers said they would need to be paid 70% or more of their salary to take time off, and 45% said it would have to be 100%.
“It can be a matter of economic necessity,” says Sarah Jane Glynn, associate director of Women’s Economic Policy at the Center for American Progress. “If the mother is recovering physically after giving birth and the father is not, it’s going to be dad who goes back to work.”
3. Perception
“Men are concerned about how they’ll be perceived by their bosses and colleagues if they take time off, so they don’t take leave” says Chris Duchesne, vice president of Global Workplace Solutions at Care.com. And one must look no further than the case of the Mets’ Murphy to see how stigmas around paternity leave are alive and well.
However, studies have shown about 80% of fathers who have taken leave report their decision was supported by their colleagues and supervisors.
4. Looming deadlines or projects
The BC survey also identified a “tug of commitments” around paternity leave, in which the pull from the workforce may include impending deadlines or current projects that make it hard for a new dad to take time away from work. He might not feel supported by his manager to leave during crunch time, when not medically necessary.
5. Fear of being replaced or passed over
On the flip side, some new dads rush back to work fueled by concern that the team will run too well without them. The fear of being replaced can be a powerful motivator when it comes to deciding how much time to take for paternity leave.
Additionally, some research suggests men who take time off from work for family reasons have depressed earning potential over the life of their career. For those eying a promotion or concerned about career advancement, fear of losing ground in the office can outweigh the appeal of spending time with family.
6. Paternity leave turns into telecommuting
For some dads, taking leave of the office doesn’t mean leaving work behind. “When co-workers keep calling and asking for things, it makes people feel a lot of pressure to keep producing work while they’re supposed to be spending this time with and supporting their family,” says Glynn.
Employees might not take it, but research shows offering paternity leave and fostering a family-friendly culture can improve your company’s employee loyalty, productivity and even retention.
