育儿假为何“有假难休”？ - Why Is Parental Leave So Hard to Take? [HSK 5]

Many regions have introduced parental leave policies, but men often face rejection or are even marked as absent without leave when they apply.

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《English Translation》

黄刚: Hua, did you notice the recent news? Many places now have parental leave policies, but people say it's hard to actually take the leave.
陈花: I saw that, especially for men — some companies treat paternity leave as absenteeism and may even fire employees for it.
黄刚: Yeah, the government created parental leave so both parents could take care of their children, but many workplaces only recognize the mother’s leave.
陈花: That’s because of traditional views. Many people still think that taking care of children is the mother’s job, so they don’t understand when fathers take leave.
黄刚: But experts say that if only mothers bear the responsibility, it increases pressure on women in the workplace. Encouraging fathers to take leave creates real equality.
陈花: I think companies are mostly worried about the cost. If they have to pay full salaries during leave, they’re reluctant to approve it.
黄刚: Exactly. That’s why some suggest that maternity insurance funds, or even the government and individuals, share the costs — then companies have no excuse.
陈花: Yes, for the policy to truly work, we need both institutional guarantees and changes in social attitudes. Otherwise, parental leave remains just a ‘paper benefit’.