This is great. It sends the message that no matter who you are, prioritizing family over business is an option, especially when a newborn has arrived.<p>I'm also willing to bet that it's good for business. An employee with better relationships at home is more likely to be productive at work in the long term.
I am jealous. My mega-large, hyphenated corporation only gives 40 hours. Which I have just had approved (today!) so that I could help care for my newborn son while my wife recovers from caesarian section. Doing this required multiple calls to a third party company that hypenated-corporation has subcontracted their leave and disability claims to, as well as about 30 pages worth of paperwork. I spent about half as much time coordinating all this as the amount of leave that I'll get.<p>My point is: even if Zuckerberg only takes half the time he gives to everyone else he's still being very generous to himself as compared to what happens in much of corporate America. I am willing to bet that going on leave like this is probably easier at Facebook, as well.
The point is --- there was no real need to even mention this on an FB post! the CEO is also an employee and he could have done this more privately.<p>I hate it when top CEOs try to prove that love "work-life" balance when in reality once you reach the top, its always easy to do the "right thing" in any circumstance.<p>If she would have been pregnant when he just started FB, then would have taken more than 2 days off?
It's great that he's taking two months, but count me with those who think he should take more. I took three months of maternity leave with my youngest, and honestly that last month was a really good deal for my employer. I used to say they were paying me to stay out of the codebase. I felt fine, and if I'd had to go back to work I could have, but between the sleep deprivation and the distractions of having a newborn around, I was pretty cognitively impaired. They'd probably still be finding bugs in the code I wrote that month.
The fact this is front page news on multiple outlets , and a pile of cynical comments here, underscores how weird America is with attitudes around "paid insurance benefits", whether healthcare, vacation, and parental leave.<p>Unlimited vacation policies are intended to make people act more like Canada or Europe where 4-6 weeks paid vacation is common. Most civilized countries have employer benefits plans that cover most of your salary as a parent for 12-16 weeks, and by the government (up to ~$50k annually) for 52 weeks shared between parents.<p>Mark is doing what most Dads do, and it's a good example.
Ugh. I'm not trying to be super negative, but he's setting a bad precedent by taking half the amount of allowed leave. "We offer 4 months, but Zuck only took 2. Wanna be like Zuck?" He should take the full 4 months and show everyone that it's OK.<p>This is like the unspoken mantra of "unlimited vacation" really being only 2 - 2.5 weeks.
Future dads out there, look into this. My wife and I split the year of unemployment-insurance-covered leave (half your salary if your salary is mediocre, and that's the cap) here in Canada and it was the best decision of my life. I got 7 months of full time dad duty in and it changed me.<p>My company and her school both offered a modest top-up on the government's parental leave benefit, so splitting the year meant we got to double-dip our employee benefits.<p>So it's not just good family building, it's also good financial sense. It's also the best way to fight the pay gap - an employer wonders which of his female employees will vanish for a year or so. This way, <i>everybody</i> leaves for 6 months or so.
canada<p>35 weeks<p><a href="http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/ei/types/maternity_parental.shtml#long" rel="nofollow">http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/ei/types/maternity_parent...</a><p>PS this is the minimum (through the government) many companies provide more (e.g. 1 year)
I have experienced a change in mindset regarding vacations, when I was an employee of a large corp vs now that I am entrepreneur.<p>Earlier when I was an employee I used to look forward to weekends/holidays/vacations. Not so now. The idea of being away from work for months is unthinkable for me. Local radio on Monday morning has an RJ invariably commenting on Monday-morning-blues. Luckily, I can't relate to that feeling anymore.<p>Not trying to paint ultra-rosy picture of being a business owner. It does have ups and downs, and it being a roller-coaster ride is well documented by many.<p>But whatever stage (highs/lows) you may be in. Typically, its hard to keep yourself away from work. Maximum duration of a vacation, I have taken in past 8-9 years, is around a week, and the median is typically 3-4 days.<p>At the same time, I do understand responsibility towards family. So if somebody <i>needs</i> to do it, I appreciate that, and definitely see myself also doing, but obviously don't wish for it.<p>Perhaps many others here, may feel similarly.
I'm glad to see this.<p>I can't believe that in the US, paternity/maternity leave is something that is left for 'the market to decide'. I was hoping for Marissa Mayer to lead and set the example for maternity leave... but she took two weeks... I couldn't really believe it, I was pretty disappointed. In my eyes what she did, sent a pretty sad message for women, her employees, and other companies.<p>I think Mark taking two weeks off, is an example, for everyone. His employees (male, female, etc) and other companies. Hey, maybe even the Government can learn from this.<p>TD;LR, glad Mark did this. Kudos.
Excellent! Good for Mark, and better for the world. The average privacy invasion perpetrated by megacorps will hopefully be falling slightly over the next two months.
It's a very personal choice for everyone, as Mark points out. That said, I believe the first 2 months are not always the most interesting for a father, nor when the most helpful. First 2 weeks sure!<p>After that, if you stay home doing emails, maybe you should go back to work for real, and keep some time for later in the year...<p>Not a universal truth, but I liked the love curve over time here:
<a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/rufus_griscom_alisa_volkman_let_s_talk_parenting_taboos" rel="nofollow">https://www.ted.com/talks/rufus_griscom_alisa_volkman_let_s_...</a>
Only 2 months? Go live life while your young and healthy. The guy doesn't need to ever work again. Enjoy every moment Zuck, they grow up way too fast.
Whatever you say about Zuck, this is a nice post. Down to earth, real, warm. I also can't help but appreciate the non-prevalence of designer stuff and furniture everywhere in the photo, despite his net worth. Thanks Zuck. You've nicely wrong-footed all the "robot" charges. My your family and child be happy, healthy, and fulfilled.
I think it's the right thing to do. If you don't take everything he does upside down, this can't possibly be bad. I believe he chose the number wisely without making it too short, which would send a message across taking a full leave is not such a good idea, or making it too long only reminding everyone that he is the one.
"At Facebook we offer our US employees up to 4 months of paid maternity or paternity leave which they can take throughout the year."<p>He's managed to make his paternity leave a PR opportunity. Acute.
It's nice that he is setting a good example but what's really impressive about this is that he has managed to get fb into a state where him taking two months off is actually possible. How many other large company CEOs could do that without a lot of things going wrong?
UK here. Paternity leave is 2 weeks off - half of that unpaid. It's a disgrace.<p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/paternity-pay-leave/overview" rel="nofollow">https://www.gov.uk/paternity-pay-leave/overview</a>
OK who here believes he is actually going to be away from work, not doing anything? He's just going to be working from home for 2 months that's all.
Doesn't mean he won't work during the whole time...I think it is great move to send a message though, that paternity leave is not for display.
Former Facebook employee here. I was never as impressed with Mark as many I've spoken with, but this is really impressive. I also hope it shows how Sheryl should be a CEO somewhere ASAP.
on an interesting note: i can't wait to hear the answer to this question (if he already hasn't answered it)<p>"would you let your kid use internet.org to access the Internt"
The fact that a headline such as "Mark Zuckerberg Will Take Two Months Off from Facebook for Paternity Leave" [half what FB gives anyway] receives more than 200 points on HN means that something is really wrong on that other side of the Atlantic. -/bitchy-rant.
To be honest, compared to Germany that is not a good news.<p>In Germany, you can have this up to 36 months (3 years) for both parants and your employer can't send you a notice to quit.<p>So, to be honest, I have to laugh at Zuck. Or say it another way: I think, he does not value his kids. I am a shamed of him.
I wonder if this is by choice. I can't imagine giving up control of something like Facebook for even two seconds.<p>Does he have to sell all his Facebook shares and buy them back at the end of his paternity leave? If not, the "paternity leave" is in-name-only, because he will still be the largest shareholder of Facebook.<p>You can bet Zuckerberg will still be running the show.