The White House Finally Hopes To Improve Gender Equality Surrounding Maternity And Paternity Leave

Although maternity leave is not subject to a federally-recognized standard (so businesses can declare all different sorts of time-off allowances for men and women), the Obama administration is committed to making sure paternity leave is an important part of the conversation when companies determine how many benefits to give new working moms.

At a forum on working fathers hosted in Washington, DC, last week, White House staffers — whose own policy on maternity and paternity leave is still largely undisclosed — indicated a push to make paid leave for both parents the new norm.

Jessica Santillo, a spokeswoman for the administration, said that President Barack Obama was interested in helping the bills that provided more support and flexibility for new parents, including the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act, which would give workers "four administrative weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth or placement of a child for adoption or foster care."

With more and more women becoming the primary earner of the family, and with more and more people realizing that the notion of only the woman staying home to rear the kids is totally archaic, it's about time we started talking about how men contribute to their new families.

More robust paternity leave policies around the country will help working women return to their jobs after having a baby, recognizing that it's not just a woman's responsibility to be the caregiver.

H/T: Huffington Post, Photo Credit: Shutterstock