Time for new fathers

When touring Lions rugby player Michael Owen was flown from New Zealand to Wales for the birth of his second child, he acknowledged the whirlwind trip was worth it.

"It's very difficult being away from my family, especially at a time like this with a new baby. All I can do is try to play well and make them proud of me," Owen told reporters.

Considering he was flown first-class by his employer, it's unlikely Owen lost pay for the time he was away from his "workplace". However, for many new fathers this is exactly what can happen.

Robert, an Auckland sales manager, was docked a day's pay for not being able to come to work because his wife, who had recently given birth, was in pain.

"My wife just had to have help that day. While my employer has generally understood and allowed me to come to work later some days, it was a shock to discover they had deducted a day's wage," he says.

Robert's problem is common to fathers who work for employers that offer only the minimum amount of partner parental leave required by law - one week of unpaid leave after six months of employment. Many fathers can't afford to take unpaid leave and will use annual or sick leave to spend time with their newborns. If that isn't available, a new parent may not take any time off.

"The worst thing that could happen to me at the moment is to be a couple of days short in my pay packet," says Robert. "I do wonder how many couples think about inducing their child on a Thursday or Friday so they can spend a few days together with the new baby."

On an income of $70,000, Robert does not qualify for family assistance, and because his wife was not employed before the birth of their baby she does not qualify for the Government's Paid Parental Leave scheme (see box). Robert says this is crazy.

"If my wife was a solo mother or if I was unemployed there would be more assistance and I would have more time with my new baby," he says.

Some employers might agree. Microsoft New Zealand provides two weeks of paid leave for the new fathers it employs and will hold a working partner's job open for up to 12 months if he or she can afford to take unpaid parental leave for a time. Microsoft does this over and above its legal requirement.

Peter Van Der Zouwe, commercial sector sales manager for Microsoft New Zealand, says he is grateful his employer goes the extra mile.

"If you had to rely on what is provided [by law] it would be a lot tougher. When you have a child you are usually down to one income and there are so many extra expenses.

"I see that prenatal information and support is excellent, but there is little support during the first year of a baby's life and beyond," he says.

Family support is often necessary for mothers but not always available, he says, and a supportive employer may be the only way a working partner can spend time with a spouse and a new baby.

"Microsoft let me take a series of half days which totalled a week, then I took the second week after five months. That was paid leave, and it has absolutely given me a positive feeling towards my employer."

However, Microsoft is a multi-national organisation with well-developed work-life strategies. Is it fair to expect New Zealand's many small businesses to provide employees with paid parental leave?

Tony Mangan, a public relations consultant with Bullet PR, says his employer won't provide paid parental leave when his first child is born later this year - and he doesn't expect it.

"I absolutely wouldn't expect my employer to pay for it, but I do think the Government should. For fathers on low incomes it would be incredibly tough to be able to take unpaid parental leave," he says.

But why is it important for a father to be at home following a birth at all? After all, 50 years ago, men who expressed a desire to spend time supporting their wives and bonding with their babies would have been labelled "weak".

Robert, who was unemployed when his first child was born, says his wife wouldn't have coped without his presence at home.

"To not support new mothers can create mental health issues," he says. "It puts new mothers at a higher risk of post natal depression."

Says Van Der Zouwe: "Getting paid parental leave meant I could be there when my wife needed me and I was able to form an early bond with my daughter - that was very important to me."

With rugby players being flown around the world to attend a birth and partake in early bonding sessions, its clear men's attitudes towards spending time at home following a birth have changed.

It also doesn't take a degree in psychology to realise that early involvement in a child's life is likely to enhance the sense of parental commitment in a working partner and strengthen key family relationships. But realistically, how many partners can afford it?

Mangan says his situation is helped by the fact his wife qualifies for the Government's paid parental leave scheme. And he says the attitude of his employer is a bonus.

"He has children of his own and understands. We have agreed I will be able to spend some time working from home and that I can be flexible."

Van Der Zouwe says his manager also has young children.

"He said to me, 'You have to do this. This is really important and I don't want you to miss out on it'," he says.

Interestingly, Robert's employer and work colleagues do not have children.

"I am apparently the new rich. I work between 10 and 12 hours a day and am in the top tax bracket, yet I am still living week to week," he says.

"I can imagine how this drives people with young families overseas."

What's On Offer

* Paid Parental Leave (PPL) is a government-funded entitlement paid for up to 13 weeks to working mothers who have been employed for 6 months or more with the same employer and who work more than 10 hours a week. Some or all of a PPL entitlement may be transferred to a spouse if they are also an employee, are taking parental leave, and meet the eligibility criteria.

* Self-employed mothers are not eligible for PPL and many self-employed parents do not realise the scheme is funded by their own taxes.

* The minimum statutory requirement for partner parental leave is two weeks if the partner meets the hours test for 12 months of employment or one week if the partner meets the hours test for six months employment.

* Partners not entitled to paid parental leave may be still entitled to a parental tax credit of up to $1200 per birth. This depends on the level of the family income and the number of children in the family.

* These provisions are minimum rights. Employers and employees can negotiate additional rights and entitlements.