Paternity vs Maternity Leave

Crew
jotF45

Crew

jotF45
Oct 1, 2017 85 Comments

Am I crazy to think that maternity and paternity leave should be the same? I know some of the big companies have equal maternity and paternity leave (like Netflix and Facebook) but that currently seems like the exception not the rule

This seems like one area in which men are greatly discrimated against in tech. Maybe if it's a cost thing we should shorten maternity leave so we can give dad's more time to bond with their kids?

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TOP 85 Comments
  • Women need to physically heal after childbirth. Not sure that men do.
    Oct 1, 2017 5
  • When you push a bowling ball out of your penis and have to sew it back up, you can have the same amount of paternity
    Oct 1, 2017 4
    • New
      heph

      New

      heph
      Also, just because a man is able to take time off to be at home with his family doesn't take away for a woman's right to do the same. Also, what about parents who adopt? The point of that time off is to adjust your life to a major change and to strengthen and secure your family at a critical moment. It's important for all parents.
      Oct 3, 2017
    • BAE Systems / Eng
      y6X4mp

      Go to company page BAE Systems Eng

      PRE
      raytheon, The Walt Disney Company
      y6X4mp
      Comparing a religious choice to a natural process of the human body is a false equivalence. Just because we have more control over when or if we want to birth children doesn’t mean we want hand outs because we are women and damn the patriarchy. In California, it’s not a hand out, child birth and postpartum recovery actually falls under short term disability insurance that we pay into.

      In comparison to the false equivalency you made, in the case of a religious self inflicted injury, your short term disability insurance that you pay into as deductions from your paycheck would also be covered. Just as it would also cover just about any other injury you obtain from making a personal choice that lead you to engage in high risk recreational activities that could actually cause more lost time than a woman on “maternity leave.”

      The difference in that case is that you won’t be stigmatized in the workplace for your injury, but women are continually stigmatized in the workplace over birthing children. Maternal Wall Bias is a real thing and it starts as soon as you start showing.
      Oct 3, 2017
  • Google / Eng
    rabidero

    Go to company page Google Eng

    rabidero
    I think all parental leave is an unfair subsidy to parents. Instead give everyone the option of life-driven sabbaticals and if you want to use that to have a kid, go for it.
    Oct 1, 2017 15
    • Uber
      candent

      Go to company page Uber

      candent
      You should avoid assuming that non-parents would use sabbatical time for a "vacation" as opposed to, say, doing volunteer work, recovering from long-term trauma, mentoring disadvantaged students, publishing academic research, or even helping care for a friend's child.
      Oct 2, 2017
    • Well said. Sabbatical for personal privileges is the best solution.

      Non parents should start moving to companies that offer this and start demanding this. Once companies realize that they'll lose good talent if the do discriminatory leave for parents vs non parents, they'll start to provide non-parental sabbatical leave too.
      Oct 2, 2017
  • Oracle
    Untouchabl

    Go to company page Oracle

    Untouchabl
    You must be a guy.
    Oct 1, 2017 1
  • This has to be a troll question.
    Oct 1, 2017 6
    • Dow Chemical / Other
      C4D

      Go to company page Dow Chemical Other

      C4D
      Yes, in the beginning, but after that initial period I think parental roles can be equally spread. Not that that always happens, but I think that's changing with each generation. 50 years ago it'd be nearly unheard of for a father to be as equally involved in rearing children as his wife, today that's quite different.
      Oct 2, 2017
    • Google / Product
      wildwolf

      Go to company page Google Product

      wildwolf
      Oh, we're on the same page! I'm typing this while breastfeeding. In a month, I'll go back to work and my husband will take over for a couple months before we start childcare for the kid. Parental leave for dads is amazing!
      Oct 2, 2017