To take paid time off is “one thing to believe as a matter of policy,” Mr. Buttigieg added. “It’s quite else to experience it firsthand and realise the impact it may have.” D.C. — It’s impossible for a working parent to know how much time they’ll have to devote to caring for a baby, let alone two, or how much of an impact their job will have on their ability to do so.
As the political stakes for his employer were growing, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg found himself in an awkward position. Mr. Buttigieg and his husband Chasten adopted a set of twins, Penelope Rose and Joseph August, in August after trying for a year.
Pete Buttigieg Joins The Parental Leave Debate This is Work.
Inconveniences such as product shortages and sluggish transport of products have only increased as the pandemic has progressed, and the babies’ arrival coincided with the delay of a bipartisan infrastructure measure.
In a phone call on Friday, Mr. Buttigieg credited the “pro-family” policies of the Biden administration for allowing him to take paid time off to spend with his newborn twins.
And then he said something that few powerful men have said: a truth that thousands of parents have learnt the hard way. Buttigieg’s decision to take time off came at another critical time for the administration, as Vice President Biden is seeking to convince his party to agree on the details of a sweeping package that would include 12 weeks of paid parental leave.
As the party’s moderates have wanted a lower price tag in order for the proposal to pass, it is unclear whether the clause will survive negotiations with them. Others, however, say that the United States cannot afford to lose its economic edge if it does not adopt parental leave policies.
It would be “an extra tragedy and a failing of our government,” Dawn Huckelbridge, director of Paid Leave for All, said in an interview if the United States remained one of the only countries in the world without paid leave during an ongoing pandemic. “I’m hoping this serves as a reminder that we’ll all be caregivers and patients at some point in our lives,” she said.
Last Words
Buttigieg rejoined the president’s meetings and media interviews this week, despite a statement from his office saying he will take more time off in the future to spend with his family.
While preparing to go on Fox News and then MSNBC on Friday, Buttigieg opened out about his time off. The two months he had off showed him that his children, each with their own distinct personality, preferred to sleep on their dads’ chests versus in any baby swing or cot.
Buttigieg spent his time off bonding with his twins, saying, “It’s one thing to believe something as a matter of principle.” “It’s quite else to experience it firsthand and realise the impact it may have.” Thanks for reading our article Pete Buttigieg Joins The Parental Leave Debate This is Work.
