Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is planning to take two months of paternity leave when his daughter is born.
He said in an online post “outcomes are better for children and families” when working parents take time off to be with their newborns. He called the decision “very personal”.
Zuckerberg announced in July he and his wife, Priscilla Chan, were expecting a baby girl following three miscarriages.
Facebook offers its US employees up to four months of paid parental leave.
Announcements by tech companies on parental leave have prompted a debate about the schemes’ value and which employees are eligible for the benefit. Netflix said in August it was giving some of its US workers up to a year of paid leave following the birth or adoption of a child, though a row broke out over which employees would receive it. Adobe and Microsoft also bolstered their parental benefits.
The Yahoo boss, Marissa Myer, prompted dismay over what expectations should be placed on new parents when she said she would be “working throughout” while taking two weeks’ maternity leave to give birth to twins.
With Associated Press
