twelve - Flexibility: some consequences for fathers’ caregiving

Summary

Introduction

This chapter deals with fathers’ experiences of using Parental Leave in a flexible way. Flexibility is often lauded in policy documents and research reports as an opportunity for mothers and fathers to control the timing of their leave-taking and as having the potential to increase the use of leave, particularly by fathers. Leave policies differ greatly between countries, reflecting many different political values, goals and designs, and many countries offer flexible use of Parental Leave to a greater or lesser extent (see Koslowski et al, 2016). This chapter focuses on Norwegian leave policy where the Parental Leave system is a mix between a family entitlement and an individual entitlement.

When fathers in Norway were given the opportunity to use 12 weeks of shared Parental Leave in 1978, this leave was a family entitlement aiming to increase gender equality in work and family. As the measure turned out to have little effect in terms of fathers’ and mothers’ sharing of leave days, fathers were given an individual right of four weeks in 1993 – the so-called ‘father's quota’. The quota was not only an earmarked entitlement for employed fathers; it was also made non-transferable to the mother, and the weeks had to be taken during the child's first year. This rigid design proved to be effective as fathers soon adapted to it as part of their work–family practice (Brandth and Kvande, 2001).

At the time of writing, Norway has 25 years of experience with an earmarked, non-transferable leave for fathers. Over the years, the quota has been lengthened and measures have been introduced to make more fathers eligible and to encourage them to take leave. One aspect of the regulation meant to encourage fathers is increased flexibility in how leave may be taken. As the neoliberal ideology of choice made an increasingly strong impact on politics, authorities introduced flexibility into the leave design to compensate for the original rigidity of the quota. Flexibility seemed particularly important as the quota was lengthened. According to a government proposal (Ot.prp. no. 104, 2004–2005, p 28), the most important rationale for a flexible father's quota was ‘to make it simpler to combine work and childcare’. Flexible leave was intended to help achieve the broad goal of the father's quota: dual earning/dual caring.