Quote Originally Posted by HoreTore View Post
What? Seriously? I should be very happy I live in Norway then.
Under the aegis of the family medical leave act, all US employers with 50+ employees must offer up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to employees who can demonstrate that some medical crisis (or a new child) in their close family requires their assistance. Companies can, at their discretion, provide paid medical leave in such instances. Hospitalization etc. is usually covered (in large part) by the medical insurance one has through one's work.

In practice, many mothers take leave (though rarely the full 12 weeks) after downloading a new human, but very few fathers do so. They'd find themselves too far behind in their work and/or haven't built up a 3-6 month expenditures cushion as is recommended by financial planners.