Parental Leave

Warm Up

1. Do you have kids?

2. How many hours do you work in one week?

3. Have you been to Finland before?
   

Reading

Finland's Generous Parental Leave Policy

Finland is famous for its policies, and one area where it does well is parental leave. In Finland, new parents are can get a long amount of time off work to take care for their newborn babies. Under Finland's parental leave policy, both mothers and fathers are given leave to spend time with their children.

Parents can get to a combined total of 164 weeks of paid parental leave, which can be shared between them however they choose. This means that parents can decide how to divide the leave between themselves, allowing for greater flexibility and balance in caring for their child. In addition to paid leave, Finland also offers a parental allowance to help families during this time. The money is designed to replace a portion of the parent's lost income while they are on leave.

Finland's parental leave policy is based on the belief that both parents should have the opportunity to bond with their child and participate in their life from the earliest stages. By providing a large amount time off work and financial support, Finland wants to promote gender equality in parenting and create a supportive environment for families.

Reading Comprehension

1. How much parental leave are new parents getting in Finland?

2. Who can take parental leave in Finland?

3. What is the purpose of Finland's parental leave policy?
   

Discussion Questions

1. What are your thoughts on Finland's parental leave policy?

2. How do parental leave policies in your country compare to Finland?

3. Do you think it's important for both parents to take parental leave? Why or why not?

4. What challenges do you think parents might face when deciding how to divide parental leave?

5. Does parental leave benefit employers and businesses?

6. What do you think are the key factors in creating family-friendly workplaces?

7. What are some potential drawbacks of generous parental leave policies?

8. How common is taking parental leave in your country?

9. Have you or someone you know taken parental leave?

10. How long do you think parental leave should be?