Most people have heard of maternity leave -- the period of time during which a mother prepares for the birth of her child, delivers her child, and takes care of her child for the first weeks of its little life. Paternity leave, however, is not as commonly known. The idea is essentially the same as maternity leave, but it is for fathers in order for them to help their families and establish a connection with their new little one.
Many countries have parental leave laws. The United States allows the option, but it is not mandated by every state. The nationally-mandated leave of absence time is about 12 weeks, regardless of the reason. For example, many European and South American countries allow about 3-4 months of maternal leave, with less time (but still time) allowed for paternal leave. Some of the leave is paid; some is not.
Some Americans are advocating for more paternal leave, especially paid paternal leave. Having parental leave for both parents helps reduce training hours of new potential employees, increases productivity of current employees, and fosters happier, healthier families.
For more information about this issue, check out these resources:
Parental Leave Global Comparison
Parental Benefits and Paternity Leave
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