A new
study has shown that the extension of a second so-called "daddy month" in Sweden in 2002 did not have any effect on gender equality in the labour market. Out of 16 months (480 days) of parental leave (390 days at 80 % salary subject to a cap and remaining days granting a small guarantee amount per day), two months cannot be transferred to the mother but must be taken by the father before the child turns 8. Of course, fathers can take more than the two earmarked months - a right that they have had for over 30 years - but that is not that common as you would think in this supposed land of gender equality. On average fathers take out 20 % of the days but less than 3 % of fathers are considered to be sharing the leave allotment equally, defined here as fathers taking at least 40 %, i.e. at least 6 months.
A reason for the limited impact on gender equality is that the second daddy month was introduced at the same time as the total days of allowed parental leave were increased (probably a good idea in theory but those experts didn't really think about all factors, did they). The added days are usually taken by the mother, off-setting the increased outtake of daddy days. The introduction of the first daddy month on the contrary, led to a substantial increase of paternal leave, with a clear effect on the labour market. In general though, men tend to take most of their parental leave after the child has turned 2 and around Christmas time and in the summer.
Com'mon dads, you can do better than that! I vow not to let Peter take less than half once we go down that road!
