Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) CEO and co-founder, will be off the company for two months, as he’s expecting the born of his daughter with his wife Priscilla Chan.
Zuckerberg made the announcement through his Facebook page, posting a picture of his dog Beast among a baby seat at his house. The post starts with Zuckerberg saying that he, and his wife, are getting prepared for their daughter’s arrival, by choosing toys and children’s books.
According to him, both of them have been considering for a while to take some time off to attend their newborn baby daughter, at least for the first months of her life. He explains that it is a very personal decision, and that he’s decided that two months off will be appropriate when their daughter -who doesn’t have a known name yet- arrives.
Moreover, Zuckerberg explained that studies on working parents influenced in his decision, as he said that when they take some time off, the “outcomes are better for the children and families.” Zuckerberg and Chan made their daughter’s announcement last July.
Also, he revealed that at Facebook, they offer their U.S. employees up to four months of paid maternity or paternity leave and employees can choose how to distribute it throughout the year.
This announcement comes in a time where these norms are under discussion. Amazon, for example, announced better parental leave policy for its employees, although this promise wasn’t fulfilled. According to TechTimes, women were only allowed to take only eight weeks of paid leave, and up to 12 weeks unpaid. Men were not included in this policy.
For concluding, Zuckerberg said that every day that passes, things are getting more real for the couple, that it is excited to start a new stage on their lives, according to him.
Although Zuckerberg has never been apart from the company, which he controls by having over the half of the company’s voting power, it isn’t likely to change while he’s gone. It is safe to assume that nothing will be done without his approval.
Source: Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook