When it comes totaking leave to care for family members, three-quarters of men and69 percent of women said they have never taken off more than a dayor two. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Paid family leave is frequently discussed as a way to helpAmerica's working women take time off to recover from childbirth.However, a new report underscores the pressure that theabsence of paid family leave puts on men.

The study by New America, a think tank, finds that nearly halfof parents take fewer than two days off –– paid or unpaid ––following the birth or adoption of a child. While the average womantakes 11 weeks off, most men take a week off or less.

When it comes to taking leave to care for family members,three-quarters of men and 69 percent of women said they have nevertaken off more than a day or two.

Related: How close are we to a federal paid family leavelaw?

Asked why men don't take more parental leave, about 40 percentof Americans said they probably don't because they don't need todue to a partner who is responsible for childcare. However, womenare far more likely to come to this conclusion (46 percent) thanmen (34 percent).

Unsurprisingly, low-income households are far less likely tohave access to paid leave or to take time off after childbirth.

Recent studies have shown that about 40 percent of U.S.employers offer paid parental leave, a significant increase inrecent years. Parental leave increasingly is extended to fathers;SHRM estimated that 29 percent of employers offer some amount ofpaid paternity leave in 2018.

Some other countries have made a big push in recent years toencourage fathers to take time off to care for and bond with theirnewborns. In Norway, a family cannot access their full paid leaveif it is not split between parents.

There are multiple reasons to encourage a more equal division ofleave between men and women after births. First, simply offeringgenerous maternity leave may lead employers to avoid hiring women.Second, it fosters better relationships between fathers and theirchildren and may lead to a more equal division of unpaid householdlabor.

Read more: 

• Paid family leave benefits saw major gains in2018
• Tax bill provision designed to spur paid familyleave to lower-wage workers
• Americans love paid family leave — just maybe notwhen others take it