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Rachel Stofko
Dr. Leap
SLA 150_05
7 December 2015
Paid Paternity Leave Creates Healthy Families
Only very few countries in the world do not offer paid parental leave. The United States
is the only industrialized nation that does not give its citizens paid time off for the birth or
adoption of a child. In America, paid parental leave is left up to employers. According to the
Department of Labor, only about twelve percent of employers offer paid parental leave in
America. Also, twenty-five percent of women go back to work two weeks after giving birth. Just
recently, the CEO of Yahoo, Marissa Mayer, announced that she will return to work two weeks
after giving birth to her twins. Unlike Marissa Mayer, many women take a short leave because of
financial necessity. Companies have been working on improving parental leave for employees.
The CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, plans to take two months of parental leave following
the birth of his daughter. Shortly after he announced these plans, he revealed that he will be
giving his employees four months of paid family leave regardless of gender or location.
Employees can use their parental leave anytime within a year after the birth of their child. Large
companies like Spotify, Netflix, and Facebook have been leading the way for gender neutral paid
leave.
In accordance to the Family and Medical Leave Act or FMLA, employees are only
guaranteed twelve unpaid weeks per year for family leave. FMLA also secures the job of the
employee. Upon returning to work, employers must give employees the same job or an
equivalent one. There are some stipulations with the FMLA. Employers must have fifty
employees. Also, an employee must work for his or her employer for at least twelve months. In
these twelve months, the employee must have completed 1,250 hours of work during the last
year. Just because employees are offered twelve unpaid weeks off, does not mean that people
take this time off. For many families, both parents must work in order to support their family.
This leaves many unable to take a long time off from work. In turn, mothers and fathers are
forced to give up precious time with their newborn children.
Since companies dictate whether or not to offer paid parental leave, usually fathers are
given less paid parental leave than mothers. A few months ago, the Navy announced that they

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will be tripling maternity leave for women. The paid leave now gives sailors eighteen weeks of
paid leave. Men in the Navy will not be receiving any additional paternity leave. This type of
mindset is not uncommon in the United States. People are still stuck in the old mindset of men
providing for the family and women staying home with the children. With cultural biases, it
makes it even more difficult for men to obtain already scarce paid paternity leave. Times have
greatly changed. Women now have a bigger role in the workplace. With women working, it
becomes a joint effort to take care of a family. Therefore, men now have a bigger role in family
life beyond just being the breadwinner. In 2012, two million fathers were stay at home dads (U.S.
Department of Labor). In fact, men and women put in the same amount of time when it comes to
family. There are many advantages for both parents to receive longer leave. Longer time off can
promote parent-child bonding, improve outcomes for children, and even increase gender equity
at home and at the workplace (U.S. Department of Labor). Studies have shown when fathers
take more leave, they become more involved in taking care of their child. This involvement does
not end after the fathers return to work. Even nine months after birth, fathers who took more time
off still shared the responsibilities. Children with more active fathers grow up with less
behavioral issues and studies have shown they receive higher test scores as well. Letting fathers
have access to parental leave would benefit the entire family and in turn, benefits society.
Several themes from the nine key themes of Catholic social teaching apply to parental
leave. It ties into the first theme relating to the dignity of every person and human rights. This
theme emphasizes that everyone is equal. Mothers and fathers play an equally important role in a
childs life. One should not be valued more than the other. This highlights why men and women
should receive the same amount of paid leave. By not offering men the same amount of leave, it
insinuates that they do not have as much significance in family life as women do. In Gaudium et
Spes, it states the father's active presence is very important for the children's education; the
mother, too, has a central role in the home. A father can not have an active presence if he does
not have access to paid leave. With men receiving less paid parental leave, a burden falls on
same-sex marriages. When adopting a child, neither partner may have sufficient paid leave to
stay home and take care of their child. Parental leave also falls under the third theme of family
life. Having time off when a baby is born, ensures a healthy family unit and establishes bonds
between parents and child. In Gaudium et Spes, it says the family is the place where different
generations come together and to help one another to grow in wisdom and harmonize the rights

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of individuals with other demands of social life; as such it constitutes the basis of society. The
fourth theme, subsidiarity and proper role of government, also applies to parental leave. In the
United States, the government requires employers to provide twelve weeks of unpaid parental
leave and to protect employees jobs. Also, parental leave also falls under the sixth theme of the
dignity of work, rights of workers, and support for labor unions. Currently in the United States, it
is left up to the employers to determine whether or not workers receive paid leave. Most likely,
the majority of people would agree that some type of leave, whether unpaid or paid, is a
necessary right for workers. Surveys have shown that fathers are concerned with work interfering
with family life. With paid leave, it will allow fathers to not worry about the stress of work and
focus on their family. Finally, the ninth theme of option for the poor and vulnerable also applies.
Many families can not afford to take unpaid time off. Unpaid time off is impossible for single
mothers, since they are the primary and only source of income. Therefore, the FMLA does not
ease any burden for low income families. In fact, nearly half of workers surveyed in 2012 who
needed leave but didnt take it reported not taking leave for economic reasons (U.S. Department
of Labor). Typically, those who can afford to take unpaid time off receive paid parental leave.
Paid parental leave would make it possible for everyone to take time off for their children. The
triangle of justice frames several aspects of paid leave. The inter-individual side of the triangle
would consist of interactions between the employees and employers. Employees could request
that employers provide equal paid leave to everyone. This side of the triangle could also consist
of the relationships between family members. Social justice could be everyone demanding the
need for having paid leave available for everyone. Paid leave would then become distributive
justice since it benefits everyone. The agents of the common good are currently employers who
determine paid leave at the present time. Hopefully in the future, the federal government will
regulate paid leave instead of company owners.
Other religions also share a similar view with the Catholic social teachings. In regards to
family, The United Methodist Church upholds the idea that both parents must share the
responsibility of raising a child and encourage(s) social, economic, and religious efforts to
maintain and strengthen relationships within families in order that every member may be assisted
toward complete personhood (Social Principles: The Nurturing Community). Paid family leave
helps parents bond with their child and helps the formation of a healthy family. Because of these
benefits, the church would agree that paid leave should be available to families. The United

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Methodist Church also directly addresses gender in the social issues of a nurturing community. It
states, we affirm with Scripture the common humanity of male and female, both having equal
worth in the eyes of God. We reject the erroneous notion that one gender is superior to another,
that one gender must strive against another, and that members of one gender may receive love,
power, and esteem only at the expense of another (Social Principles: The Nurturing
Community). Since this statement advocates gender equality, the idea of men receiving less leave
would not be accepted. In order for men and women to have equality, one must not be favored
over the other.
Paid leave should not be a question for the United States. Parents play a vital role in a
childs development. When parents are given the time to help establish a healthy family unit, it in
turn creates healthy citizens. European countries have already beat America in the paid leave
movement. Although other countries have managed to establish paid maternity leave, paid
parental leave is still lacking. Looking at how other countries established paid family leave could
be helpful to determine if it is possible for the United States.

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Works Cited
"Facebook Announces Four Months of Paid Parental Leave For All Employees." The Huffington
Post. Ed. Chloe Angyal. 27 Nov. 2015. Web. 1 Dec. 2015.
"Family and Medical Leave Act." SpringerReference (2011). National Partnership. National
Partnership for Women & Families. Web. 6 Dec. 2015.
Lakshmanan, Indira. "Zuckerberg To Take 2 Months Parental Leave, Mayer To Take 2 Weeks."
Here Now RSS. 23 Nov. 2015. Web. 07 Dec. 2015.
Matishak, Martin. "Navy triples paid maternity leave." Hill 07 July 2015: 12. MasterFILE
Premier. Web. 7 Dec. 2015
Pastoral Constitution On The Church In The Modern World Gaudium et Spes Promulgated by
Pope Paul VI. [Vatican City]: 1965. Web. 5 Dec. 2015.
"Social Principles: The Nurturing Community." The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist
Church - 2012. United Methodist House. Web. 5 Dec. 2015.
U.S. Department of Labor. "DOL Policy Brief." Paternity Leave: Why Parental Leave for
Fathers Is so Important for Working Families. Web. 5 Dec. 2015.
"Wage and Hour Division (WHD)." Family and Medical Leave Act. Web. 5 Dec. 2015.