Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg will take two months of paternity leave
Perks aside, running Facebook is a time-consume role that doesn’t leave much time for parenting.
That’s why Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of the world’s most popular social network, has announced that he will take two months of paternity leave when his daughter is born.
Zuckerberg made the announcement on his Facebook timeline, writing:
“Priscilla and I are starting to get ready for our daughter’s arrival. We’ve been picking out our favourite childhood books and toys.”
He continued: “We’ve also been thinking about how we’re going to take time off during the first months of her life.
That might not sound too controversial for UK readers, but allowances for parental leave in the United States of America are notoriously poor.
For instance, a 2014 review by the International Labour Organisation, which examined 185 countries and territories, found that only two states didn’t have laws mandating paid parental leave – Papua New Guinea and the USA.
There is, however, a maternity leave policy that allows new mothers 12 weeks of unpaid leave, as accorded by the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993.
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“Studies show that when working parents take time to be with their newborns, outcomes are better for the children and families,” said Zuckerberg.
Facebook currently offers US employees up to 4 months of paid maternity or paternity leave, which can be taken throughout the year.
The Facebook CEO added: “Every day things are getting a little more real for us, and we’re excited to start this next stage in our lives.”