# Paternity Leave For Men



## Davey Jones (Apr 6, 2014)

Whats your opinion?  

When my kids were born I had to use up my "sick days" from work to stay home for a few days until the in-laws took over.

There is an old saying "Real men don't take paternity leave,"


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## Justme (Apr 6, 2014)

I think it is a good idea.

 In the UK there are quite a number of house husbands who stay at home and look after the kids whilst their wives are the breadwinners. Whatever works for a family, I guess.


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## Falcon (Apr 6, 2014)

Could help in some cases.


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## That Guy (Apr 6, 2014)




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## Justme (Apr 6, 2014)

If men gave birth I reckon they would demand 18 years paternity leave as a right!


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## i_am_Lois (Apr 6, 2014)

It would be nice if an employer offered paternity leave for men. But I never worked anywhere that provided that. It's not imposed legally upon employers to offer it. If it were on a voting ballet... "Should we make it a law that employers offer paternity leave for men?" I would vote NO. I don't feel it's something so crucial that it should be required by law. But yes, a nice thing for a man to be able to take time off from work to help the family.


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## Davey Jones (Apr 6, 2014)

i_am_Lois said:


> It would be nice if an employer offered paternity leave for men. But I never worked anywhere that provided that. It's not imposed legally upon employers to offer it. If it were on a voting ballet... "Should we make it a law that employers offer paternity leave for men?" I would vote NO. I don't feel it's something so crucial that it should be required by law. But yes, a nice thing for a man to be able to take time off from work to help the family.



Totally agree with ya.


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## SeaBreeze (Apr 6, 2014)

I would vote no too.  The husbands can take sick time or vacation time, maybe a short leave of absence if those are not available.  When I got a new puppy, I'd take my 2 weeks of vacation to stay home with it and housebreak it...not too much of a sacrifice at all.


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## Sid (Apr 6, 2014)

My opinion is you should be thankful you had "sick days" and the opportuity to use them.


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## Sid (Apr 6, 2014)

i_am_Lois said:


> It would be nice if an employer offered paternity leave for men. But I never worked anywhere that provided that. It's not imposed legally upon employers to offer it. If it were on a voting ballet... "Should we make it a law that employers offer paternity leave for men?" I would vote NO. I don't feel it's something so crucial that it should be required by law. But yes, a nice thing for a man to be able to take time off from work to help the family.





    I agree.


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## Warrigal (Apr 6, 2014)

Currently we have paid parental leave scheme that is available to all employees. It offers a total of 18 weeks of paid leave at minimum wage rates for a parent who was working before the birth. It is available to adoptive parents as well as those having natural births and either the mother or the father can take up the scheme, or they can do it in some combination. The funding comes from the federal government.

This does not do away with other more generous schemes offered by larger firms and government agencies and there is no double dipping allowed.

It's a new scheme, about 3 years old, and our current government is wanting to bring in a new gold plated scheme where women (not sure about men?) will receive 16 weeks leave paid at full usual salary plus all other entitlements. The government will fund it but impose a 1.5% tax levy on larger employers. The upper limit is $150,000 per annum which means that some very well off women will be receiving $75,000 to stay at home to look after their baby. Easy to afford a live-in nanny to help out at that rate, I reckon. 

This promised scheme was very popular with young women before the election but is unlikely ever to be implemented. There is quite a lot of opposition to the idea, even from within the current government. Bait and switch, most likely.


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## Davey Jones (Apr 7, 2014)

Sid said:


> My opinion is you should be thankful you had "sick days" and the opportuity to use them.



In this case,what happen to the guy if he REALLY gets sick? (sorry ,you used up all your sick days)


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## Sid (Apr 7, 2014)

Davey Jones said:


> In this case,what happen to the guy if he REALLY gets sick? (sorry ,you used up all your sick days)




          I guess you pretty much answered your own question. "Sorry you used up all youe sick days."
          Yes that is exactly what happens.

          Sick leave is a cushion to help you in time of sickness. 
         You say "Really gets sick?" I say tough you only get so much, use it as you wish according to company policy
         What is the different than being REALLY sick for three months and only have two months sick leave built up?
         I drove for a place that had a very generous sick leave policy. Some used it up as fast as it accumulated. I was laughed at for not doing so. I was there less than five years. Due to an off the job injury, I was able to miss seven weeks with full pay and had some left over. One other driver had four months built up when she got sick and other driver had a full year (the max) when he got sick. In both cases they where able to get full pay until they qualified for retirement pay. Needless to say I did not have much sympathy for those who had no sick leave when they REALLY got sick because they abused it.


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## Sid (Apr 7, 2014)

Dame Warrigal said:


> Currently we have paid parental leave scheme that is available to all employees. It offers a total of 18 weeks of paid leave at minimum wage rates for a parent who was working before the birth. It is available to adoptive parents as well as those having natural births and either the mother or the father can take up the scheme, or they can do it in some combination. The funding comes from the federal government.
> 
> This does not do away with other more generous schemes offered by larger firms and government agencies and there is no double dipping allowed.
> 
> ...



       I wouls say scheme(a clever and often dishonest plan to do or get something) is a pretty good choice of word.


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## CPA-Kim (Apr 8, 2014)

In the US, the Family Medical Leave Act provides for up to 12 weeks leave for mothers OR fathers.  It is already a law.


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## Warrigal (Apr 8, 2014)

Kim, is that paid or unpaid leave?


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## CPA-Kim (Apr 9, 2014)

It is only paid if you have that much sick time or vacation OR your company makes provisions for it.  It was mainly for job protection.


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