The National Party’s proposal to extend paid parental leave from 26 to 30 weeks has made the issue an early talking point in the election campaign.

And while voters’ attention will likely focus on the financial impact of an extra four weeks of leave, the provision allowing parents to overlap paid leave may prove the more significant change in the longer term.

However, we know fathers can be reluctant to take advantage of paid parental leave if they perceive doing so might affect their career prospects.

So the broader challenge lies in encouraging more fathers to take their entitled leave, normalising men’s involvement in caregiving, and reducing the work stigma that can surround taking leave.

Why overlapping leave matters

Since 2020, primary carers in New Zealand have been entitled to 26 weeks of paid parental leave. While some or all of this entitlement can be transferred to a partner, only one parent can receive paid parental leave payments at a time.

Consequently, partners who want to spend time at home together during the early weeks often rely on annual leave, unpaid leave, employer-provided leave or additional unpaid parental leave........

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