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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

#171

Post by wpietri »

melted wrote: post #133
engi_nerd wrote: post #13

I am jealous. My mega-large, hyphenated corporation only gives 40 hours. Which I have just had approved (today!) so that I could help care for my newborn son while my wife recovers from caesarian section. Doing this required multiple calls to a third party company that hypenated-corporation has subcontracted their leave and disability claims to, as well as about 30 pages worth of paperwork. I spent about half as much…

Here's my advice: don't work for them. You shouldn't tolerate such bullshit no matter how much they pay. This is your _wife and kid_ you're talking about. You will horribly regret prioritizing the unreasonable demands of your employer over their needs. Instead of bitching on HN, get off your ass and find a better employer.

I am astounded by the arrogance of you thinking you know his life and situation better than he himself does. And so well that you feel entitled to lecture him in public.

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

#172

Post by underwater »

brador wrote: post #168
underwater wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I took a little over three months off when my first child was born, and am in the process of taking the full four months for my second child. I know a half dozen people who have had children while working at Facebook and all of them have taken all (or almost all) of that time. I never felt pressure not to take leave. The hardest part was convincing myself that things would keep running without me.

Do you have to be married? Is it for anyone whose partner has had a child or only for your own child? Like, could you, in theory, have a baby making rotation of 3 "girlfriends" with 4 months of paternal leave each per year for an eternal vacation?

I'm not sure of the specifics but I believe you only get one set of leave a year. I wouldn't recommend having multiple girlfriends and babies (and, to be honest, if you did this going back to work would seem like a much better option).

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

#173

Post by x5n1 »

PKop wrote: post #159
x5n1 wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Zuck could take the rest of his life off work. And when he's an old man he will wish that he had. But in the mean time the share holders can benefit from his keen.

He could have done that when he was 19 years old. Obviously.... OBVIOUSLY .... Zuck, and Facebook, are what they are because he doesn't agree with your views on his life. How do you know he wouldn't regret stopping work now when he's an old man? You have absolutely no idea. But we can take an educated guess by the motivations and choices he's shown in the past. Which were, to keep working and building his company. Be…

When people get old they don't have much in their life other than their family and work, and many workoholics have only their work, case in point Warren Buffet, that's not proof that they would rather not do anything else. Or would've lived their lives differently if they had the chance, and many of them might be too proud to admit it at this point considering that they will soon be gone. It's just that work is the only thing left that makes them feel useful, wanted, and provides some sense of purpose in their lives. They have been so busy in work they don't know what else to do... nor is their body and brain capable of doing much more than what it has done most of its life.

Many rich business people completely quit business and instead do philanthropy, case in point Bill Gates... Zuck's role model? Facebook is not something positive in the lens of history. It's just a big money maker. Maybe it will still be relevant in 20 years, but eventually it will be seen for what it is... as if it's not already. And all that will be left is the money, of which Zuck has more than enough to do much more worthwhile things with his life. Like perhaps philanthropy. Maybe he can really solve some problems before he dies in 40-50 or so years. Of which maybe the 10-20 next ones will be his prime.

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

#174

Post by wobbleblob »

acangiano wrote: post #7

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.

What kind of message does it send? Take two months off when you could afford to retire?

If I were in his shoes, I'd sell my shares in that website, take a few years off and then go a little Bill Gates, a little Elon Musk.

I guess this is why I'm not a successful businessman.

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

#175

Post by handrake »

I think it's the right thing to do. If you don't take everything he does upside down, this can't possibly be bad. I believe he chose the number wisely without making it too short, which would send a message across taking a full leave is not such a good idea, or making it too long only reminding everyone that he is the one.

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

#176

Post by zhte415 »

immad wrote: post #10
scurvy wrote: post #8

Ugh. I'm not trying to be super negative, but he's setting a bad precedent by taking half the amount of allowed leave. "We offer 4 months, but Zuck only took 2. Wanna be like Zuck?" He should take the full 4 months and show everyone that it's OK. This is like the unspoken mantra of "unlimited vacation" really being only 2 - 2.5 weeks.

He is probably busier than the average FB employee.

Hopefully he can delegate and has trust in this. A lot of managers, even senior, can't. It is a skill.

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

#178

Post by Domenic_S »

scurvy wrote: post #24
engi_nerd wrote: post #13

I am jealous. My mega-large, hyphenated corporation only gives 40 hours. Which I have just had approved (today!) so that I could help care for my newborn son while my wife recovers from caesarian section. Doing this required multiple calls to a third party company that hypenated-corporation has subcontracted their leave and disability claims to, as well as about 30 pages worth of paperwork. I spent about half as much…

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

Dunno if you've ever taken PFL, but I have twice. It's not all roses. Your first 1-2 weeks (depending on company policy) is unpaid, ie you have to take PTO/vacation. Then PFL pays 55% of your weekly salary, to a maximum of $1,104 -- essentially $52k. They dump it on some ghetto Bank of America debit card that you have to hook up to your bank account thru their 90s-fabulous website somehow...

Except for the 40 hours part, OP's was exactly my experience. BigCo contracts out to some awful 3rd party that can't get their paperwork straight.

I actually got notice that my leave was "approved" (as if they could disapprove?) AFTER I returned to work, that's how bad their process sucks.

Don't even get me started about straightening out the bill for health insurance -- yeah, you have to pay your employer's share while you're on leave! Surprise! (I guess this might vary from company to company).

Better than nothing I guess, but I think I'd rather have lower taxes and just take straight PTO.

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

#179

Post by incepted »

wobbleblob wrote: post #174
acangiano wrote: post #7

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.

What kind of message does it send? Take two months off when you could afford to retire? If I were in his shoes, I'd sell my shares in that website, take a few years off and then go a little Bill Gates, a little Elon Musk. I guess this is why I'm not a successful businessman.

> If I were in his shoes, I'd sell my shares in that website

Probably why you're not.

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

#180

Post by incepted »

oneJob wrote: post #49
acangiano wrote: post #7

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.

Most large companies in Silicon Valley give men between four and eight weeks of paternity leave, which you can take any time you want (not just right after the baby is born).
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