When CNN journalist Josh Levs and his wife were expecting their third child, they decided that he would need to be home after the birth. Time Warner, the parent company of CNN, had a benefits policy that included an option of 10 weeks of paid leave after the arrival of a new baby.
The policy applied to biological moms, and moms or dads who had a child through surrogacy or adoption. There was only one exception: A man could not receive leave for his own biological child born to the child’s mother.
Levs was dumbfounded. His employers gave 10 weeks paid time off to all sorts of parents and denied the option only to men who had kids the traditional way. He felt excluded and frustrated. He became the first dad within CNN to challenge the policy.
“All In: How Our Work-First Culture Fails Dads, Families, and Businesses—And How We Can Fix It Together” is Levs’ story of his own experience with paternity leave as well as an exploration of the current status of fathers in the workplace.
The author builds a strong case that there is a disconnect between the corporate world and American family life. People in upper echelons of power are more often than not unconscious about the needs of families. Studies indicate that a majority of top executives see “work-family conflicts as primarily a woman’s problem.”
Levs argues this is discrimination against women—and men. If men were given more flexibility with work/home opportunities, then women would have more chance to pursue their own professional lives.
The book captures its title in part from Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg’s best-seller, “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Succeed.” Levs expands and details Sandberg’s argument that advancing the American economy depends on changing workplace structures not only for women but for men.
His bottom line is that it’s good for business. He cites the World Economic Forum’s report linking gender equality and the strength of the economy: “Countries and companies can be competitive only if they develop, attract and retain the best talent, both male and female,”
“All In” reads like a series of thematically linked essays, a broad-brush approach that attempts to touch the many facets of this issue. Levs shares that at CNN, he was sometimes called “Truth Seeker in Chief” because of his detailed fact-checking. This expertise shines forth in his book as he approaches the issues from myriad aspects.
Levs begins by spotlighting the gender discrimination common in the American workplace. While the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires larger employers to give male or female workers 12 weeks off after a birth, about 40 percent of workers aren’t covered by this federal law. In addition, one in five employers openly admit to not complying with FMLA.
Juxtaposing these facts are polls that show 83 percent of adults support paid leave and 89 percent of dads say it’s important. Levs points to a growing reality that companies are able to attract and retain employees by offering paid paternity leave.
With a growing “war for talent,” businesses that do so will benefit, Levs says.
He also points out that American businesses are in the minority in having paid paternity leave. Much of the world, including Russia, parts of Africa and most of South America offer it. Levs proposes a solution in the form of a 401K type of program for family leave. His idea includes arguments on how to decrease taxes.
Levs cuts through dissension with a sarcastic wit that underscores his viewpoint. He understands, for example, that given “one in four Americans doesn’t even know the earth revolves around the sun,” according to a recent study, that some won’t understand the benefits of paternity leave. The media could do a much better job of explaining the issues, he says.
Times have changed, he argues. The traditional role as the father as breadwinner for the family is cited by only four in 10 as the father’s most important role. Six in 10 Americans now say the father’s most important role with his children is to teach values and morals.
It is for this generation of parents to change the situation. Levs suggests “family values” don’t ring true if they don’t value families. New laws and new business policies that instill gender equality in the workplace will create stronger families, more productive businesses and a better society.