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Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has announced that he will take two months of paternity leave when his daughter is born.
The social network chief naturally used a post to his own Facebook timeline to spread the news, which included a photo of the baby accessories now in the Zuckerberg household, as well as the family dog, Beast.
Mark Zuckerberg – Mobile Uploads | Facebook
Zuckerberg called the decision “very personal”, adding that studies have shown “that when working parents take time to be with their newborns, outcomes are better for the children and families”.
Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, announced they were expecting their first child in July.
“Priscilla and I are starting to get ready for our daughter’s arrival. We’ve been picking out our favourite childhood books and toys,” he said.
“We’ve also been thinking about how we’re going to take time off during the first months of her life. This is a very personal decision, and I’ve decided to take 2 months of paternity leave when our daughter arrives.
“Studies show that when working parents take time to be with their newborns, outcomes are better for the children and families. At Facebook we offer our US employees up to 4 months of paid maternity or paternity leave which they can take throughout the year.”
There was no mention of who would take over the day-to-day running of Facebook in Zuckerberg’s absence.
“Every day things are getting a little more real for us, and we’re excited to start this next stage in our lives,” he said signing off the post, which has already received more than 290,000 Likes.
