17th June 2016
Paternity Leave Across The World
This weekend is Father’s Day! So, in celebration of dads everywhere, we’re taking a look at Paternity Pay. In the UK, you’re entitled to either one or two weeks of paid paternity leave. You might also be eligible to shared paternity leave, which allows you to share up to 50 weeks’ parental leave and 37 weeks’ pay with your partner.
This shared system is designed to help manage the relationship between parents and their careers, empowering parents to make the choice as to who stays at home and who goes out to work. This sounds progressive, but how does the UK stack up against the rest of the world? We’ve ranked a range of countries by how supportive their governments are to new dads.
No. 10 – USA
While many businesses in the USA have decent parental leave options, there are no federal allowances for dads to take paternity leave. Some states have their own systems, the country has no overall governmental support.
Pay: £0 Time Off: 0 days
No. 9 – Japan
While few of them ever take it, Japanese parents are both entitled to an entire year of parental leave. Unfortunately, that parental leave is unpaid.
Pay: £0 Time Off: 1 year
No. 8 – Australia
Working dads and partners (including same-sex partners) in Australia get 2 weeks leave paid at the national minimum wage.
Pay: £341* Time Off: 2 weeks
No. 7 – France
New dads in France are given 11 days paid, with an option for 6 months unpaid leave.
Pay: £635* Time Off: 11 days/6 months
No. 6 – UK
New British fathers are entitled to two weeks of paid paternity leave. Then there’s an option for shared paternity leave, which allows them to share up to 50 weeks’ parental leave and 37 weeks’ pay with their partner.
Pay: £1,033* Time Off: 2 weeks/50 weeks
No. 5 – Spain
Spain offers 15 days paid leave to new dads and parents are given the opportunity to take 3 years unpaid!
Pay: £689* Time Off: 15 days/3 years
No. 4 – Iceland
New dads in Iceland get 90 days parental leave at 80% of their salary. They also have a parental leave share scheme like us, for a further 3 months.
Pay: £3,845* Time Off: 3 months/3 months
No. 3 – Sweden
Sweden recently introduced a 12 week use it or lose it allocation of paid parental leave. This system incentivises new fathers to share the burden of parenthood between both partners. The 12 weeks are added to that of the partner, but unlike our system, only the father can use it. If he does not, that leave is forfeit.
Pay: £3,147* Time Off: 12 weeks
No. 2 – Norway
Norway also employs a ‘use it or lose it’ system, with 14 weeks available to new parents. Like Sweden, they lose the allocation collectively if fathers don’t accept their share of the burden.
Pay: £7,980* Time Off: 14 weeks
No. 1 – Germany
Germany are one of the most supportive countries in the world when it comes to new dads. They grant equal rights when it comes to parental leave and offer 12-14 months off work at 65%.
Pay: £13,985 – £16,284* Time Off: 12-14 months
So there you have it. If you’re going to have a new baby, consider Germany! Avoid America if you can, unless you get a job at Netflix. The online TV company offers unlimited paid time off for a year!
*based on paternity pay received, after deductions, based national average salary over paternity leave period
