Last year, I got to take two months off for paid “paternity leave,” per my previous firm’s policy. It was great!

At my new firm, we have a two week only paternity leave program, which shows me the wide disparity (in law firms at least) in paternity leave policies. Under U.S. Law, employers must allow fathers 12 weeks of UNPAID paternity leave, but I do not think there is any law requiring paid paternity leave, so if your firm/company offers it, it can be a great benefit. I remember when each of my first three children were born, I took a couple of days off, but that was all I could. I have been able to take off one or two months for each of the others, however, which has been a LIFESAVER.

What kind of paternity leave options do any of the readers of this blog have? Should we in the United States mandate a more robust paternity leave? Why or why not?

See this chart (from Wikipedia) of paternity leave options mandated by law across the world…