by John Hoffman
Canada is finally going with Daddy Days. Well, not by that name. But the February 27 federal budget included the cumbersomely-named Employment Insurance Parental Sharing Benefit (EIPSB), a new 5-weeks of parental leave for “the other parent.” That’s the one who doesn’t take the main chunk of parental leave after a birth or adoption. I do think it was a good idea to make this initiative gender and sexual orientation neutral. However, as we know, in mother-father families, which are the majority, that “other parent” is almost always the father.
I applaud this new policy, although we shouldn’t expect it to be a “game changer.” Social change—especially around gender equity—usually comes gradually. Government policies are mostly nudges at best. I found it interesting that the government is positioning the EIPSB as part of its push to provide flexibility that helps women participate and earn more equally in the workplace. That’s a rather narrow way to look at a policy that makes it easier for fathers to take parental leave. And I really don’t think the EISPB will make much difference as a women’s workplace equity initiative. The flexibility that would really help women participate and earn more equally in the work force is things like mandating flexible hours and better (affordable) child care options.
But, in terms of more gender equity on the home front and more father involvement in parenting, the EIPSB is a good nudge. Here are five reasons why.
- It means more dads at home in the early days after a birth. New moms need a lot of support and help after a baby is born. Traditionally they got this from other women. But female friends and relatives are less available now (due to more women working outside the home). Dads are the logical ones to fill some of that gap. This potential benefit could be greatly enhanced with some education and health promotion around the support new mothers need and how fathers can fill that role.
- This makes it more legit, and easier, for men to get time off after a baby is born. Lots of men take time off after a birth now. The EIPSB makes the idea more normal as opposed to a sort of perk. That should reduce the need for men to have to negotiate this “time off” with less enlightened employers.
- It means moms don’t have to shorten their maternity leave in order for their partners to take leave. A Canadian study from about 10 years ago showed that both fathers and mothers tended to see parental leave as “hers.” In interviews with families where dads took parental leave, women often said things like, “I gave him some of my leave.” Likewise, dads often said, “She gave me some of her leave.” Lots of mothers, quite understandably, want to max out their mat leave. The EISPB helps them do that, while still allowing their partners to be home for a few weeks. In fact, the new policy “rewards” families with an extra five weeks for moms when their partner takes his or her five weeks.
- Spending a chunk of time at home in the first year of a baby’s life can give men a window onto their partner’s experience of motherhood. For years I have believed that one of the key (and seldom discussed) relationship challenges of early parenthood is that fathers often don’t really have a grip on the enormity of the new mother load, and later, the mother load in general. Five weeks at home won’t instantly change dads into mom experts, but it’s a start.
- The EISPB sends a message that child care is something guys do. In spite of the increasing involvement of many dads in child care, deep down, many people (women as well as men) still see child care primarily as women’s work. The EISPB nudges fathers (and others) to see child care as a more of a main thing men do as opposed something they do to help out or be a good guy.
So bring on the Daddy Days . . . oops . . . the Employment Insurance Parental Sharing Benefit. It will be interesting to see how it plays out. I can’t see any downsides, except possibly a bit of hassle for employers. But employers figured out how to navigate maternity leaves. Figuring out this should be easier, especially if they adopt the idea that Dad taking time off after a birth is normal and expected.