Six weeks versus five days
graphic by Molly English
February 16, 2009 • written by Emma DeJong, News Editor
Filed under News
Having a baby is a momentous occasion for any couple. However, as women are given more paid time to stay at home than men, both spouses are not able to spend the same amount of time with their newborn child.
“I think guys should be given the option to stay home,” physical education teacher Nathan Knudsen, who has a five-year-old son, said.
According to the Family Medical Leave Act, anyone can take up to 12 weeks off, unpaid. In the West Fargo District, women are allowed to take six weeks of sick leave after the child is born and still receive pay, and men are given the option of taking five days off. A woman who gave birth is given the same treatment as one with any other physical disability.
“When a woman gives birth, there is a period of disability associated with that,” Human Resources Director Robin Hill said. “Typically, it’s six weeks. That disability is treated like any other disability would be.”
Men can take their five days as whatever kind of leave they want, whether they count it as sick leave or emergency leave. Hill is not opposed to allowing more days in addition to the five, but it has simply never come up.
“[A father] does not have a disability,” Hill said. “They could take on personal leave beyond the five days, but nobody has ever asked for that.”
Special education teacher Sean Bourke has had two children while working in the district, Aiden, four years, and Ella, nine months. Aiden was born in the summer, but for Ella’s birth, Bourke took two days off. Bourke thinks West Fargo’s policy should give more time to beginning parents.
“Overall in the US, it’s way too short for everyone,” Bourke said. “In Canada, you get a year.”
The Fargo School District differs slightly from West Fargo. For women, it’s typically the same; whatever their physician recommends is what they take off. Males can use up their emergency leave, personal leave and up to five days of sick leave and still receive pay.
West Fargo has their policy because a woman needs the time to recover from her disability, unlike a man. Knudsen thinks the time is also provided so the woman can care for the child.
“Traditionally, women are the ones who are ‘supposed’ to take care of the children, but in modern day, this is not exactly the case,” Knudsen said.
While some teachers may consider the policy to be unfair, Hill has heard only positive comments.
“The feedback I’m getting is sufficient,” Hill said.
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