Facebook Offers Four-Months Paid Parental Leave For All Full-Time Employees
As any parent of a newborn can attest, the overwhelming desire is to be home with your newly minted version 2.0 (or 3.0 or 4.0, etc.), not toiling away at work staring at the clock in hopes of making it speed up. Some companies are keenly aware of this, like Facebook, which just extended its parental leave policy for to cover all full-time employees, daddies included
Both moms and dads, including ones in same sex relationships, can take a generous four months of paid time off to be at home with their newborn child, if they're a full-time employee at Facebook. It's a global policy -- it doesn't matter where the employee lives.
"This expanded benefit primarily affects new fathers and people in same-sex relationships outside the U.S.," Facebook's Lori Goler explained in a Facebook post. "It will not alter the existing maternity leave currently available to all employees worldwide. Our approach to benefits at Facebook is to support our employees and the people who matter most to them."
Goler goes on to explain some of the research that's out there that led to the policy change. For example, Pew Research found that nearly 50 percent of all fathers are worried they don't spend enough time with their children..
"Studies show that when working parents take time to be with their newborns, outcomes are better for the children and families," Goler added. "For too long, paid baby leave has been granted only to a mother who is giving birth. We believe that fathers and mothers alike deserve the same level of support when they are starting and growing a family, regardless of how they define family."
Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg is himself expecting a new child with his wife Priscilla. In a recent post, Zuckerberg announced that he and his wife have begun preparing for their daughter's arrival and that he'll take 2 months of paternity when she arrives.
Both moms and dads, including ones in same sex relationships, can take a generous four months of paid time off to be at home with their newborn child, if they're a full-time employee at Facebook. It's a global policy -- it doesn't matter where the employee lives.
"This expanded benefit primarily affects new fathers and people in same-sex relationships outside the U.S.," Facebook's Lori Goler explained in a Facebook post. "It will not alter the existing maternity leave currently available to all employees worldwide. Our approach to benefits at Facebook is to support our employees and the people who matter most to them."
Goler goes on to explain some of the research that's out there that led to the policy change. For example, Pew Research found that nearly 50 percent of all fathers are worried they don't spend enough time with their children..
"Studies show that when working parents take time to be with their newborns, outcomes are better for the children and families," Goler added. "For too long, paid baby leave has been granted only to a mother who is giving birth. We believe that fathers and mothers alike deserve the same level of support when they are starting and growing a family, regardless of how they define family."
Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg is himself expecting a new child with his wife Priscilla. In a recent post, Zuckerberg announced that he and his wife have begun preparing for their daughter's arrival and that he'll take 2 months of paternity when she arrives.
