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Mark Zuckerberg Will Take Two Months Off from Facebook for Paternity Leave

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Re: Mark Zuckerberg Will Take Two Months Off from Facebook for Paternity Leave

#61

This is great. It sends the message that no matter who you are, prioritizing family over business is an option, especially when a newborn has arrived. I'm also willing to bet that it's good for business. An employee with better relationships at home is more likely to be productive at work in the long term.

...But how long will it take for paternal leave to trickle down to the largest employers in America who pay near or at minimum wage? 1) Wal-Mart Stores 2,200,000 2) Yum! Brands 523,000 3) McDonald's 440,000 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_employers_in_t... IMHO a billionaire taking a two-month leave will not inspire a majority of the top 50 employers to allow their male workforce to take 2-months off. Y…

This is probably going to get me voted down, but maybe...just maybe...you shouldn't be having kids if the only job you can get is McDonalds or Yum! Brands (i.e., Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, etc.).

If you choose to have a child when your resources are that limited, your non-paternity leave is going to be among the least of the child's problems.

Re: Mark Zuckerberg Will Take Two Months Off from Facebook for Paternity Leave

#62
post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bummer. Move to a state with family leave laws. CA gives 6 weeks of paid leave to everyone: http://www.edd.ca.gov/disability/FAQ_PFL_Benefits.htm

Out of curiosity, would this apply if you were say a lead actor in a movie? 6 week multi-million dollar production stall would in my mind be fair ground for not hiring an actor, but I take it that's illegal.

[deleted]

Re: Mark Zuckerberg Will Take Two Months Off from Facebook for Paternity Leave

#64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not really? Maybe I'm a bit pushy, but I think that people should take all of the time allotted for them to take care of their kids, bond with their kids, and support their partner. If he is banking it for later, great, if not, the work you're doing on social media is not more important than your child.

Considering his wealth, Zuckerberg could leave the company and dedicate his life to his child. In that light, is the 4 vs 2 months really relevant? Aren't both choices failing to uphold the principle you've stated?

I think working sets a good example for your child. When you have a newborn, your partner is recovering, etc. all of the extra help is really important -- add on top of that the countless studies that show how important bonding is for fathers in the first few months. It's not really quite a fair comparison.

Re: Mark Zuckerberg Will Take Two Months Off from Facebook for Paternity Leave

#65
post #35

To be honest, compared to Germany that is not a good news. In Germany, you can have this up to 36 months (3 years) for both parants and your employer can't send you a notice to quit. So, to be honest, I have to laugh at Zuck. Or say it another way: I think, he does not value his kids. I am a shamed of him.

Three years is all? It takes at least eighteen to raise a child. Shame on you for being proud of your country that doesn't care about children enough to see them raised properly. I have to laugh at you and your country for not valuing your kids. I'm ashamed for you.

This entire (arrogant) line of reasoning is ridiculous because it's completely based on an arbitrary cutoff point that you decide is good. What a crazy coincidence that the cutoff point happens to be the same amount of time the geographic region you happen to live in sets as their paternity leave.

Re: Mark Zuckerberg Will Take Two Months Off from Facebook for Paternity Leave

#66
post #49

This is great. It sends the message that no matter who you are, prioritizing family over business is an option, especially when a newborn has arrived. I'm also willing to bet that it's good for business. An employee with better relationships at home is more likely to be productive at work in the long term.

I had a sorta different reaction. I thought, it'd be amazing if everyone at Facebook had the option to take two months off for paternity leave and prioritize family over business without worrying about losing their job or good favor with their supervisor.

I doubt that either of these outcomes are likely

Re: Mark Zuckerberg Will Take Two Months Off from Facebook for Paternity Leave

#67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

...But how long will it take for paternal leave to trickle down to the largest employers in America who pay near or at minimum wage? 1) Wal-Mart Stores 2,200,000 2) Yum! Brands 523,000 3) McDonald's 440,000 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_employers_in_t... IMHO a billionaire taking a two-month leave will not inspire a majority of the top 50 employers to allow their male workforce to take 2-months off. Y…

This is probably going to get me voted down, but maybe...just maybe ...you shouldn't be having kids if the only job you can get is McDonalds or Yum! Brands (i.e., Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, etc.). If you choose to have a child when your resources are that limited, your non-paternity leave is going to be among the least of the child's problems.

You've got a valid point that available resources should factor into the decision making process for having a child.

That said, if that's the only measure then only the rich can afford to have children so clearly there has to be more to this.

What if instead, a CEO is only allowed to take time off equal to or less than the average of every other employee.

Re: Mark Zuckerberg Will Take Two Months Off from Facebook for Paternity Leave

#68
post #46
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

FYI you can probably take 12 weeks unpaid leave, as guaranteed by FMLA. I'm guessing your employer would exercise the option to pay out vacation time concurrently. To take FMLA requires nothing more than telling your boss you need time off to take care of a newborn (or any other valid reason), so it's not too late. They can make you fill out paperwork but denying the leave if it's valid is illegal. You're guaranteed…

Oh great, I can stop getting paid just as I have a kid. That sounds wonderful.

It's called savings. Instead of asking for paid leave, you can ask for a higher salary, and then save that extra money, which pays for your leave.

Re: Mark Zuckerberg Will Take Two Months Off from Facebook for Paternity Leave

#69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

...But how long will it take for paternal leave to trickle down to the largest employers in America who pay near or at minimum wage? 1) Wal-Mart Stores 2,200,000 2) Yum! Brands 523,000 3) McDonald's 440,000 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_employers_in_t... IMHO a billionaire taking a two-month leave will not inspire a majority of the top 50 employers to allow their male workforce to take 2-months off. Y…

This is probably going to get me voted down, but maybe...just maybe ...you shouldn't be having kids if the only job you can get is McDonalds or Yum! Brands (i.e., Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, etc.). If you choose to have a child when your resources are that limited, your non-paternity leave is going to be among the least of the child's problems.

This and moralizing about the smoking and drinking of the lower classes sound reasonable, but they're basically non-starters. You don't stop having basic human desires when you're poor. And as long as people are having sex, some of them are going to have kids.

Re: Mark Zuckerberg Will Take Two Months Off from Facebook for Paternity Leave

#70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

...But how long will it take for paternal leave to trickle down to the largest employers in America who pay near or at minimum wage? 1) Wal-Mart Stores 2,200,000 2) Yum! Brands 523,000 3) McDonald's 440,000 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_employers_in_t... IMHO a billionaire taking a two-month leave will not inspire a majority of the top 50 employers to allow their male workforce to take 2-months off. Y…

This is probably going to get me voted down, but maybe...just maybe ...you shouldn't be having kids if the only job you can get is McDonalds or Yum! Brands (i.e., Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, etc.). If you choose to have a child when your resources are that limited, your non-paternity leave is going to be among the least of the child's problems.

My short answer to that is: shit happens.

The longer answer is that life doesn't always pan out the way you expect it to and, well, shit happens. Rather than worry about what you think someone should have done, let's focus on the fact that it already happened and how do we make the best of the situation.

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