My family is eagerly expecting a baby this fall - I'm planning to take ~12 weeks of parental leave. I will use PTO for some of that, but will also request additional paid leave for Paternity Leave from my current firm in Philadelphia, which does not currently have a written policy. Additionally, Pennsylvania does not offer state-mandated paid family leave beyond the unpaid FMLA. I'm wondering what other firms are currently offering, esp in Pennsylvania. I previously worked in DC, where there is now a tax-supported paid leave program. Thanks in advance!
JonathanLivingston
Aug 12, 21 4:19 pm
Two kids. Both times I had to use my two weeks of vacation time and then was expected to get back to work or not get paid. Nothing like having newborns and no paid vacations for a couple of years. That and the old fogeys giving me grief for having to leave to take care of children. I have heard the "shouldn't your wife take care of that" from people who raised their children with a stay-at-home spouse. Like that's possible now.
Almosthip
Aug 12, 21 4:23 pm
Wow really? I was unaware that it was like this in the USA, in Canada you get a full year of paid leave at 60% your pay, or you can stretch it out to 18 months if you wish. I know you didnt ask for this information about other countries, but it is interesting to learn what its like other places
JonathanLivingston
Aug 12, 21 4:33 pm
I even had one try to move me from salary to hourly after I had my first child. They meant well I guess, thinking they would give me the flexibility to work less if I wanted. I put in 50hrs a week for two weeks before they decided to put me back on salary. All of which is totally illegal. But the road to hell is paved with the best of intentions.
JonathanLivingston
Aug 12, 21 4:34 pm
Architecture is a hard profession to parent from.
sameolddoctor
Aug 12, 21 6:57 pm
In the US, that is...
Everyday Architect
Aug 12, 21 4:40 pm
Not Pennsylvania specifically, but my last firm has offices in the surrounding states and started offering paid paternity leave around 5 or 6 years ago, 2 weeks only for fathers. Mothers would get 6 weeks paid maternity leave. Not sure if they've updated their policies since I left back in 2019
Current firm (also not PA) offers 8 weeks paid parental leave.
tduds
Aug 12, 21 4:42 pm
And they wonder why millennials aren't having kids.
Chad Miller
Aug 12, 21 6:53 pm
Colorado has paid paternity leave for three months.
sameolddoctor
Aug 12, 21 6:59 pm
CA had/still has 6 weeks of parental leave, but obviously, like things go here, its not at a 100%. So for both of my kids I had to take 2 weeks of PTO and that was it. Sucks.
atelier nobody
Aug 12, 21 7:08 pm
Here in California, 12 weeks of family leave are mandated, but employers are not required to pay for it - the only requirement is that they don't fire you for it. People on family leave do qualify for State Disability, and if the employer offers private disability insurance (which is not required, but many employers do), then that is also required to cover family leave, so between State Disability, private disability insurance, and PTO, it is possible to get up to 100% of your salary covered, but somewhere in the neighborhood of 60% is more common.
I have never worked for a US company or government agency, in architecture or otherwise, in any State, that would pay anything beyond your regular accrued PTO (and your private disability insurance, if they had it at all) for family leave. (I've only ever worked for 2 companies and a government agency that would pay for Jury Duty.)
3tk
Aug 19, 21 9:46 am
Some firms have started to offer varying parental leave (both sides to be equitable). I don't think I've heard much over 8 weeks, and then usually at less than full salary.
Short-term disability insurance is, as others have noted, the most common way to cover. Aflac coverage (if your firm has it) + private insurance (most firms I've worked for had a 2 month at 60%) can get you full coverage w/o PTO.
JonathanLivingston
Aug 19, 21 12:35 pm
Last I checked, Aflac, and most private insurance only cover short-term disability insurance for maternity leave, you have to be the one actually giving birth otherwise they don't consider it disabling.
atelier nobody
Aug 19, 21 1:15 pm
JonathanLivingston, it depends on where you are - here insurance companies are required to cover both parents.
My family is eagerly expecting a baby this fall - I'm planning to take ~12 weeks of parental leave. I will use PTO for some of that, but will also request additional paid leave for Paternity Leave from my current firm in Philadelphia, which does not currently have a written policy. Additionally, Pennsylvania does not offer state-mandated paid family leave beyond the unpaid FMLA. I'm wondering what other firms are currently offering, esp in Pennsylvania. I previously worked in DC, where there is now a tax-supported paid leave program. Thanks in advance!
Two kids. Both times I had to use my two weeks of vacation time and then was expected to get back to work or not get paid. Nothing like having newborns and no paid vacations for a couple of years. That and the old fogeys giving me grief for having to leave to take care of children. I have heard the "shouldn't your wife take care of that" from people who raised their children with a stay-at-home spouse. Like that's possible now.
Wow really? I was unaware that it was like this in the USA, in Canada you get a full year of paid leave at 60% your pay, or you can stretch it out to 18 months if you wish. I know you didnt ask for this information about other countries, but it is interesting to learn what its like other places
I even had one try to move me from salary to hourly after I had my first child. They meant well I guess, thinking they would give me the flexibility to work less if I wanted. I put in 50hrs a week for two weeks before they decided to put me back on salary. All of which is totally illegal. But the road to hell is paved with the best of intentions.
Architecture is a hard profession to parent from.
In the US, that is...
Not Pennsylvania specifically, but my last firm has offices in the surrounding states and started offering paid paternity leave around 5 or 6 years ago, 2 weeks only for fathers. Mothers would get 6 weeks paid maternity leave. Not sure if they've updated their policies since I left back in 2019
Current firm (also not PA) offers 8 weeks paid parental leave.
And they wonder why millennials aren't having kids.
Colorado has paid paternity leave for three months.
CA had/still has 6 weeks of parental leave, but obviously, like things go here, its not at a 100%. So for both of my kids I had to take 2 weeks of PTO and that was it. Sucks.
Here in California, 12 weeks of family leave are mandated, but employers are not required to pay for it - the only requirement is that they don't fire you for it. People on family leave do qualify for State Disability, and if the employer offers private disability insurance (which is not required, but many employers do), then that is also required to cover family leave, so between State Disability, private disability insurance, and PTO, it is possible to get up to 100% of your salary covered, but somewhere in the neighborhood of 60% is more common.
I have never worked for a US company or government agency, in architecture or otherwise, in any State, that would pay anything beyond your regular accrued PTO (and your private disability insurance, if they had it at all) for family leave. (I've only ever worked for 2 companies and a government agency that would pay for Jury Duty.)
Some firms have started to offer varying parental leave (both sides to be equitable). I don't think I've heard much over 8 weeks, and then usually at less than full salary.
Short-term disability insurance is, as others have noted, the most common way to cover. Aflac coverage (if your firm has it) + private insurance (most firms I've worked for had a 2 month at 60%) can get you full coverage w/o PTO.
Last I checked, Aflac, and most private insurance only cover short-term disability insurance for maternity leave, you have to be the one actually giving birth otherwise they don't consider it disabling.
JonathanLivingston, it depends on where you are - here insurance companies are required to cover both parents.