The Benefits of Paternity Leave Are Clear. So Why Aren’t Dads Taking It?
Many fathers and fathers-to-be say that even taking the parental leave they’re entitled to is seen by their boss as showing a lack of professional commitment.
Illustration by Eric Schwarz for Bloomberg
About a year ago, Chris, a 39-year-old New York City-based financial services professional, returned to his job after taking eight weeks of paid paternity leave — the total time he was entitled to under his employer’s policy. Chris, who asked me not to use his full name, said that taking the time to bond with his baby daughter was the most important decision he’d ever made, and one he’d never regret. But he also said it came with a cost.
When Chris got back to work, he learned that his manager had asked a colleague to take over some of his clients. That made him feel sidelined. Two months after his return, he found out he was passed over for a promotion that he’d thought he had a “solid” chance of getting. A few weeks later, another blow: His bonus, which had risen each of his seven years at the firm, stayed flat. The bonuses of his colleagues — none of whom had taken parental leave — were bumped higher, according to Chris.