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In the USA, the cost of paternity leave have to be fully paid by the company? I thought it would be paid by both together (government and employer) at least. M

In the USA, the cost of paternity leave have to be fully paid by the company? I thought it would be paid by both together (government and employer) at least. My paternity leave was fully paid by the government, but it was capped. Moreover the amount of paid months is limited and I had to share them with my wife.

sofixa 5y ago
AFAIK (not American) paid maternal or paternal leave isn't mandatory by labour laws/regulations, so yeah, it's up to the employer to offer it and pay for it. Logically, only the huge and very well off companies in competitive ( for employment) branches will do so because the others have little incentive to "waste" money on the matter.
- metters 5y ago
  Thanks for the insight. It makes sense for small companies then to not offer paid parental leave, as they really cannot afford that most of the time (thinking of cafes, restaurants, small shops at the corner, etc.)
  - lotsofpulp 5y ago
    The more progressive states do have government funded parental leave, but it is not much compared to other countries. The west coast states and the northeast states offer paid parental leave, and the amount you get partially depends on what you used to earn (and hence contributed to the parental leave taxes). You get 18 to 20 weeks off after the baby is born within the first year of life, generally.
- hnbad 5y ago
  It's mandatory in Germany in the sense that employees are entitled to it, but they don't have to take it. The time off is paid by the state (in proportion to the previous year's salary and bonuses) not the employer. However because sexism is more complicated than just lack of equal access, parental leave is still mostly taken by women and women still find it harder to get back into regular employment after extended periods of maternity leave. I know several mothers who planned to have children and go on maternity leave and because of this accepted jobs that pay the bills but aren't places they enjoy working and now face the prospect of having to go back to a job they hate or have a second or third child (only to then have to either go back to a job they not only hate but also haven't done in years or find a new job with a multi-year gap in their resumé). For this to really change will likely take generations because the behavior and the social expectation of that behavior are mutually reinforcing.

sofixa 5y ago

AFAIK (not American) paid maternal or paternal leave isn't mandatory by labour laws/regulations, so yeah, it's up to the employer to offer it and pay for it. Logically, only the huge and very well off companies in competitive ( for employment) branches will do so because the others have little incentive to "waste" money on the matter.

metters 5y ago
Thanks for the insight. It makes sense for small companies then to not offer paid parental leave, as they really cannot afford that most of the time (thinking of cafes, restaurants, small shops at the corner, etc.)
- lotsofpulp 5y ago
  The more progressive states do have government funded parental leave, but it is not much compared to other countries. The west coast states and the northeast states offer paid parental leave, and the amount you get partially depends on what you used to earn (and hence contributed to the parental leave taxes). You get 18 to 20 weeks off after the baby is born within the first year of life, generally.
hnbad 5y ago
It's mandatory in Germany in the sense that employees are entitled to it, but they don't have to take it. The time off is paid by the state (in proportion to the previous year's salary and bonuses) not the employer. However because sexism is more complicated than just lack of equal access, parental leave is still mostly taken by women and women still find it harder to get back into regular employment after extended periods of maternity leave. I know several mothers who planned to have children and go on maternity leave and because of this accepted jobs that pay the bills but aren't places they enjoy working and now face the prospect of having to go back to a job they hate or have a second or third child (only to then have to either go back to a job they not only hate but also haven't done in years or find a new job with a multi-year gap in their resumé). For this to really change will likely take generations because the behavior and the social expectation of that behavior are mutually reinforcing.