Fathers still face stigma on family leave, Coltrane tells NYT

Fathers who take time off to bond with a new child face many of the same workplace repercussions as women, interim UO President Scott Coltrane told The New York Times for an article that appeared online Friday, Nov. 7.

Coltrane, a sociologist who has done extensive research on issues surrounding fatherhood, is quoted in a long article appearing in the newspaper’s The Upshot column that looks at both the rewards and stigma of paternity leave for men. Coltrane’s work has helped show that many men who seek parental leave face consequences both in the near term and their prospects for advancement and salary increase.

“There is still some stigma about men who say, ‘My kids are more important than my work,’” Coltrane told reporter Claire Cain Miller. “And basically that’s the message when men take it.”

The article explores the evolving nature of paternity leave, which has become less common in recent years and when taken still carries potential penalties for both men and women.