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[McAdams] In 1981, Iceland passed a law
that required employers to provide new mothers
three months of paid leave. That was extended to six months in 1988. Guaranteed maternity leave
was a novel idea at the time, and Iceland's was one
of the most generous in the world. But as progressive as this law was, it encouraged moms to stay home
while new fathers kept working, reinforcing cultural norms
at the heart of the pay gap that women are caregivers,
and men are not. So lawmakers did something radical. What if they gave parental leave to dads and made it a use-it-or-lose-it benefit, so dads would feel pressure to take it? Iceland passed that law in the year 2000. Obligational paternity leave
has made a difference in the culture of men in Iceland, a very positive difference
that required employers to provide new mothers
three months of paid leave. That was extended to six months in 1988. Guaranteed maternity leave
was a novel idea at the time, and Iceland's was one
of the most generous in the world. But as progressive as this law was, it encouraged moms to stay home
while new fathers kept working, reinforcing cultural norms
at the heart of the pay gap that women are caregivers,
and men are not. So lawmakers did something radical. What if they gave parental leave to dads and made it a use-it-or-lose-it benefit, so dads would feel pressure to take it? Iceland passed that law in the year 2000. Obligational paternity leave
has made a difference in the culture of men in Iceland, a very positive difference
Full Transcript
00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:04.671
[McAdams] In 1981, Iceland passed a law
that required employers
00:00:04.754 --> 00:00:07.632
to provide new mothers
three months of paid leave.
00:00:07.715 --> 00:00:10.051
That was extended to six months in 1988.
00:00:11.136 --> 00:00:14.556
Guaranteed maternity leave
was a novel idea at the time,
00:00:14.639 --> 00:00:17.475
and Iceland's was one
of the most generous in the world.
00:00:19.811 --> 00:00:21.855
But as progressive as this law was,
00:00:21.938 --> 00:00:25.817
it encouraged moms to stay home
while new fathers kept working,
00:00:25.009 --> 00:00:28.945
reinforcing cultural norms
at the heart of the pay gap
00:00:29.999 --> 00:00:31.531
that women are caregivers,
and men are not.
00:00:32.615 --> 00:00:34.617
So lawmakers did something radical.
00:00:35.999 --> 00:00:37.704
What if they gave parental leave to dads
00:00:37.787 --> 00:00:39.998
and made it a use-it-or-lose-it benefit,
00:00:40.003 --> 00:00:42.167
so dads would feel pressure to take it?
00:00:42.025 --> 00:00:45.001
Iceland passed that law in the year 2000.
00:00:45.999 --> 00:00:48.715
Obligational paternity leave
has made a difference
00:00:49.424 --> 00:00:52.026
in the culture of men in Iceland,
00:00:52.343 --> 00:00:53.845
a very positive difference.
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