What did the guys on this forum do?
I took a week of vacation for each of my kids and then worked from home for a few additional days. We had the benefit of my MIL staying with us for the first month or so (we get along very well) and a live in nanny after that.
With my daughter - We went to the hospital on Tuesday, had her early Wednesday morning. I took the rest of the week off. (I was working for an oil service company at the time.)
With my son - We had him on Wednesday morning (scheduled C-section). I was back at work on Thursday and Friday. Took Sat-Sun-Mon off (Labor Day weekend).
Why did I go back to work the next day? That’s the busiest time of year in most tax accounting practices, and I was trying to get noticed so I had an early track to partner.
BTW–why do you ask? Should we be congratulating you on something?
I’m in a small company and may be negotiating it soon.
My company has introduced one week off about a year ago and guys have been combining it with week of vacation time.
It’s pathetically little imo and men should fight for more
Congrats!
You should check on your state law. AFAIK, there is no set standard, although there is FMLA, which is a federal act. They don’t have to pay you leave, but your job is protected for X number of weeks (12 for women, I don’t know for men).
In Texas, I don’t think there is a law that governs maternity/paternity leave, and I’m certain that there’s no mandatory pay during your de facto voluntary leave.
http://www.babycenter.com/0_paternity-leave-what-are-the-options-for-dads_8258.bc
Tell your wife to bookmark this website. It is a valuble resource for new mothers and mothers-to-be.
It’s kinda like AF, but for parents.
I was unemployed at the time which was super convenient. Started work about 7 weeks later too which was nice. If I have another in a bit I’m thinking about just quitting for a few months.
What’s super bullshit is that we’ve got a lady at our company who wanted to be around to be a mom so they let her work from remotely and keep her job so she moved like 8 hours away and everything (for the past few years, not just the initial few months). Meanwhile, I’d love to be a Dad and work from wherever but it’s not an option that’s given to me.
Especially for baby #1, I’d recommend at least 1-2 weeks. I used sick days for those when we were in the hospital, and vacation time for the rest. It’s such a big adjustment once you get home, and don’t plan on sleeping much, so work is just not a huge priority in those first few weeks.
i got 3 weeks off
FMLA is great in concept, but I suspect any guy who actually uses it without the glowing blessing of his company will be let go for “unrelated” reasons 6 - 12 months after he returns.
At the big 4 where I’m at, parents, mothers or fathers, get either a 6 week paid block off, or 3 weeks of flexible time off for leave.
I’ve had audit review calls with big 4 guys the day after their wife gave birth.
^Yeah, I’m kinda dubious of the 6-weeks-paid thing.
It’s available but no one ever takes it.
Yeah, if a guy took a 6-week leave (paid or unpaid) during our busy season, then he might find himself “laid off” before the end of the year.
I took a six week break, half vacation, half unpaid. I would do it again, maybe longer. The first month is insanity. Up here maternity/paternity leave is a year with job protection, split between the mom and Dad to whatever extent you want. As I’d want to give my wife the maximum time, I’d either do an unpaid leave or just quit and find something else later on.
I got shitcanned from my job working as a press feeder at a commercial printing outfit in April of the year my youngest was born. I was almost done with school so I started doing temp jobs through Accountemps. Started an assignment on a Thursday in September. Baby came on Saturday. On Monday, I went in to work and explained that I had a kid and if the hospital discharges my girlfriend before the work day was out I’d probably be leaving. They invited me not to return and I didn’t.
Living off severance for the summer before I became a dad was great. I got a ton of livng out of my system that summer. Probably could have been a better partner. It all seems to have worked out.
Replying to myself here, my youngest was my first biological child. So I was already parenting my wife’s first child, had been for a while, but having one of my own was a big change mentally.