7 Companies That Do Family Leave Right
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Within the past few years, some of the most popular tech companies have adjusted their paid leave policies for new parents to accommodate not just moms, but dads and non-biological parents as well. Perhaps these businesses are taking a cue from Sweden—the country with the most generous family leave policy in the world.
Swedish parents are entitled to 480 days—that’s 16 months—of paid parental leave. And yes, parental leave means it’s not just for moms. Sixty of those 480 days are reserved exclusively for fathers, and next year, 90 days will be reserved just for dads—the same amount already reserved for mothers. (Parents split the rest of their allotted time as they see fit.)
It should come as no surprise that 85 percent of Swedish dads take family leave; and the ones who don’t, typically face questioning from family and friends. Dads taking time off is not only good for developing the bond between child and father, but it is also good for gender equality. With many countries (America included) still navigating issues of women’s rights and maternity leave, Sweden kind of seems like a futuristic, family-friendly utopia.
On the other hand, according to a 2014 International Labour Organization report, only two out of 185 countries surveyed lack paid maternity leave under the law: Papua New Guinea, and America. We stand alone as the world’s only developed country that doesn’t guarantee some sort of paid leave associated with parenting.
Why is paid leave good?
Well, economists say it’s essential for making it possible for women to work. And although the number of women in America’s workforce is declining—a phenomena economists are wrestling with—many believe that paid leave could help increase those numbers. It can also make it possible for parents to do simple, expected things, such as take their newborns for health visits. Not to mention that paid leave is just family-friendly. Encouraging parents to spend time with their children is certainly not a bad thing. (Just ask dads in Sweden.)
1. Adobe
2. Microsoft
3. Facebook
4. Twitter
5. Goldman Sachs
6. Google
7. Change.org
Related:
America Has the Worst Family Leave Policies Of Any Developed Country
3 Ways that the U.S. is Failing Mothers