29 June, 2005

Nordic paternity leave schemes

» BBC News | Quality time thrills Nordic dads
28 June 2005

Last year, nearly all Icelandic fathers used their entitlement to three months off work on 80% of their salary.

The new paternity law came into effect in 2002. Iceland now has Europe's second highest birth rate after Turkey.

More Danish men are taking paternity leave now - 46,000 in 2004. New parents can share a year of paid leave there.

Icelandic parents can take nine months of paid leave for childcare - three for the mother, three for the father and the rest divided up by couples as they see fit.

Well, this kind of progressive approach by the government is never seen in Japan, which is unfortunately controlled by inefficient bureaucrats. However, Japanese dads need quality time with their kids, too.