Paternity Leave: Everything You Need to Know
Get Ahead by LinkedIn News
We talk about leveling up, about geting ahead in your career and about excelling where you are right now.
Paternity leave is an excellent opportunity for new fathers to spend time with their children. Many employers don’t widely offer paternity leave, despite many reasons to take it. Specific federal and state laws may help new dads obtain these valuable benefits.
Welcoming a new child into the family is a joyous and exciting occasion. After birth or adoption, paternity leave allows fathers to bond with their children.
Spending time with new children is essential for social and emotional growth. It also helps mothers and fathers learn more about being a caregiver.
Research shows newborns need time with both parents to form attachments and gain a foundational social experience. Regardless of the career or industries in which fathers work, paternity leave is a great benefit for companies to offer.
What Is Paternity Leave?
Paternity leave is a period granted to a new father to stay home from work and spend time with his child (or children).
After a baby is born or adopted, many new parents deal with increased stress and busier schedules than ever before. It takes time for mothers and fathers to adapt to these changes.
Most companies offer maternity leave policies across the country. Paternity leave is becoming more common for U.S. workers. As the only wealthy country in the world that doesn’t provide guaranteed parental leave, companies in the U.S. choose if this is part of employees’ benefits packages.
How Does Paternity Leave Work?
Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), all employees of companies with more than 50 employees are eligible to take 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for specific life events. Caring for a family member, childbirth and severe illness fall into this category.
Companies must follow the FMLA law, but can also offer their parental leave benefits. The state you reside, your employer and your position in the company determines the length of paternity leave.
Your company's benefits package will also tell you whether you receive paternity leave pay. No formal requirements in the U.S. require companies to offer paid time off for parental leave, so this varies based on the employer.
How to Prepare for Paternity Leave
Plan for your paternity leave as soon as possible. Give everyone at work notice regarding your paternity leave, and ensure you have coverage for all projects or assignments before leaving.
You’ll also want to consider whether your partner will take parental leave simultaneously. Some new parents prefer to stagger their leave dates, so the baby receives plenty of care at home in the first few months. Others prefer to be home together at the same time if possible.
Since you might only receive unpaid leave, starting a savings fund early in the pregnancy or adoption is essential. You may consider having your partner apply for short-term disability to assist with covering costs, but this is only available to pregnant women. Many parents cannot go weeks without any income, so plan to ensure financial coverage.
Talking to other fathers at work about their experience with paternity leave can also make the transition easier when leaving to stay home or returning to work.
How Paternity Leave Varies by Company and State
The FMLA is a federal law that applies to all U.S. states, but each state can also have more specific laws. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, more states have enacted (or expanded) required family leave.
The states in 2022 with paid family leave laws include:
Recommended by LinkedIn
Washington, D.C. also offers paid family and medical leave. In this district and the states mentioned above, employee-paid or employer-paid payroll taxes fund these programs.
Companies will have their policies for paternity leave as well. Some companies might offer paternity leave only to married dads, while others extend the policy to cover all relationship types. Certain companies may also offer paternity leave for fostering or adopting. While other companies only provide leave for the birth of biological children.
You might also work for a company that determines the length of paternity leave based on how long you’ve worked there instead of a standard amount of time for each employee.
Talk to your employer's HR department to learn more about your specific paternity leave requirements and benefits. They can give you information about the policy, including when you must request paternity leave.
Benefits of Paternity Leave
Taking time off for the arrival of a new child benefits the parents and the baby. Companies can also benefit from offering leave to their employees.
Company Benefits of Paternity Leave
Some of the benefits that a company obtains when providing paternity leave include:
How to Use Paternity Leave
Speak with your employer’s HR department to use your paternity leave benefits.
If your position is difficult to cover or you know your employer needs extra time to plan for your leave, it’s crucial to talk to HR as soon as possible. Talking to HR about three months before you plan to take the leave is standard.
New dads don’t always take advantage of their paternity leave benefits. The first few months with a new child in the home are crucial, so if your company offers paternity leave, strongly consider taking advantage of that benefit and its associated perks.
Key Takeaways
(Reporting by NPD)