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Facebook Expands Parental Leave Policy For All Employees Globally (mashable.com)
Reuters reports that Mark Zuckerberg's not the only Facebook employee who will enjoy a nice chunk of time off to spend with a new baby; the company is expanding its parental leave policy (and posting on Facebook about it). The benefit includes up to four months of paid leave, to all full-time employees, including those outside the U.S., regardless of sex, within a new child's first year. That means that new parents of either sex will be allowed to take a longer absence; previously, non-U.S. employees who were not primary caregivers were granted four weeks of leave. From the Reuters story: [Facebook HR head Lori Matloff] Goler said the new policy will primarily help new fathers and employees in same-sex relationships outside the United States, noting that it will not change maternity leave already available to employees worldwide. ... Technology companies in Silicon Valley have been rushing to extend parental leave allowances and other benefits to help recruit and retain employees. Many high-tech workers, however, do not take advantage of such benefits for fear of falling behind at work or missing out on promotions.
There is parental leave in the USA, it just isn't paid. The law requires your employer to permit you 12 weeks of unpaid leave, and guarantee you can return to your job.
Which makes sense. You're not working, so why should your employer pay you? If you expect to have children, and want to take time off to care for them, then you should set aside a reasonable portion of money for that purpose.
But since people have to live above or right at their salary level, nobody saves any money, which means entitled workers assume their employers must pay for this.