The Things All New Dads Should Know About Paternity Leave

Paternity leave is essential for new dads to bond with their babies and establish a healthy work-life balance. Paternity leave is an essential topic for new fathers, but it’s often overlooked. It can be challenging to navigate how much time off you are entitled to take and the logistics of your stay-at-home partner caring for your infant. You might not know what questions to ask or how best to plan out this time with your family. 

To begin, let’s talk legally. 

CFRA Leave

All private employers with more than five employees must provide new parents with 12 weeks of job-protected CFRA leave. CFRA leave is available to all workers who have worked 1,250 hours in the previous 12 months. It implies you have “job protection,” which means your employer cannot terminate you or react against you because you used your leave. 

CFRA leave for baby bonding must be used within one year of the child’s birth. Employees using CFRA leave must generally take a break in two-week increments, while employees have the option of taking shorter absences on two occasions.

It means that a plan that has some leisure time built into it for new parents is especially beneficial. It allows a new parent to take a week off to assist his wife at emergency medical appointments if she is disabled as a result of pregnancy. Another two weeks off when his child is born, and the nine weeks when his spouse returns to work once her pregnancy disability leave and newborn bonding leave are completed.

Paid Family Leave Law

For eight weeks of absence, the Paid Family Leave Act offers income replacement through the EDD (the same organization that distributes unemployment and disability benefits). However, unless you qualify for job protection under the CFRA, your employer is not compelled to keep your job open throughout your paid family leave.

The FMLA

Fathers who have worked for a year at employers with more than 50 employees within 75 miles of the father’s employment are eligible for unpaid leave under the FMLA for parents living outside of California. The FMLA, like the CFRA, can be utilized to care for a spouse’s critical medical condition as well as to bond with a child.

But the question is, why should dads take paternity leave?

The first few weeks and months following the arrival of a new baby are an exciting and exhausting time – but also, at times, stressful – for new parents. New dads should take paternity leave to bond with their children and establish a healthy work-life balance.

Paternity leave is essential for new dads to bond with their babies and establish a healthy work-life balance.

New research shows that paternity leave can positively influence family dynamics, as it allows both parents to spend time together caring for the child. In addition, paternity leave will enable fathers to help mothers adjust to life as new parents, translating into happier home lives.

Paternity leave is an excellent opportunity to establish meaningful relationships with the child. Studies have shown that men who take time away from work report being happier and healthier when they come back and having better marriages later on down the line.

When taken by both parents, Paternity leave can help set the foundation for more equality in future years. It influences childcare and domestic work decisions, which will affect who does what at home while also encouraging an even balance between paid employment opportunities outside of these domains.

According to research, when caring for their infant, more assistance from the father can improve the mother’s well-being – and they’re less likely to have postpartum depression. Paternity leave is an opportunity to give the mother some much-needed rest. It’s important to give the mother space and creativity for healing, sleep, or any other activities they may need to stay balanced.

Many of the fathers interviewed for research agreed that taking paternity leave is the greatest way to support your spouse during their emotional and physical recovery.

Makes sense, right? It’s easier for dads now because they know what their role in their life will be-it let everything else fall into place.

However, are there challenges in taking paternity leave?

The transition to life with a new baby may be daunting for both parents, so it is important to take time off work and keep in mind what you need before leaving. It’s often difficult to negotiate how much time off you should take, especially if you and your partner are employed. New dads may feel like they’re leaving their colleagues in the lurch, which can be stressful if extended family members aren’t available to help.

Next, what should dads do on paternity leave?

The best thing you can do is to stay home, spend quality time with your kids, play with them when they need it, provide all the care that’s needed without rushing or pushing it onto somebody else then come back to work feeling refreshed. 

It’d be worth it to know for sure if paternity leave was worth it afterward. It will give you more strength when you’re at work and when things get hard – which invariably they will – knowing that when your head hits the pillow at night, somebody is waiting for you who needs comforting.

You may also read up on fathers and parenting. If you’re working in a caregiving profession, anything from taking care of newborns to caring for the ill, brush up on your skills, so you don’t fall off in skill or competence while away.

To build the bond between father and child, spend time holding them skin-to-skin, taking them on walks, or doing activities that encourage bonding like bathing or reading together.

Give your partner some undisturbed sleep now and then by using a baby monitor so they can still get enough shuteye without having to be up all night tending to the little one.

If you feel comfortable cooking, make dinner for both parents to enjoy after their long day of tending to baby needs. 

New dads with newborns should take their paternity leave to bond with their children and learn about parenting. New fathers may find it beneficial to practice taking care of the baby before heading out on leave, as this will help them feel more confident once they return to work.