My hairdresser in Iceland receives paternity leave benefits from his country’s social security system.

Here in the US neither of the prevalent points in the bi-partisan debate paints an encouraging picture of the future.  The quality of benefits such as sick time, parental leave (if it even exists), and health care are declining.

We are essentially saying to the next generations that they can expect lower living standards into the future.   The solutions, though, are within the reach of dedicated organized citizens who see successful models that operate outside of the bi-partisan paradigms.

Now back to Iceland …

Recently, over the course of several hours spent doing errands in downtown Reykjavik I observed a young  father pushing a stroller around enjoying a fine day.  I first noticed them at the library, then a little while later on a shopping street, a while later at a cafe, and then several hours later they were meandering slowly along the residential block where I was staying.  It was apparent that the father was spending some quality leisure time with an infant.

The coincidence of our paths crossing at various times throughout the afternoon was remarkable enough that I told my friend Oli about it that evening while on the phone exchanging the news of the day.

“What a nice sight to see – a young father spending the afternoon with his child in the middle of a work day.  I guess it was his day off or maybe he took a day of leave from work,” I innocently said.  “The fellow seemed so dapper and content, obviously valuing this time to get to know his young infant.”

My friend had a different perspective.  “I’m sure the father was on his paternity leave.  When my daughter was born I took such walks frequently.  I value the time I was able to spend with her as she was just coming into the world.”

I could have guessed that this fellow had many such days to spend with his newborn, but the concept of paternity leave, even though I knew it existed, had not yet sunk in to daily consciousness.  It was on a previous visit to Iceland that I had learned  that the country’s social security system  grants 3 months of paid leave for one parent and 6 months of paid leave for the other.  In the fall of 2009 my hairdresser, named Dori, had told me that he would be taking his paternity leave and might not be available to cut my hair during my next visit.

Halldor ‘Dori’ Benediktson

Highly-recommended hairdresser in Reykjavik

“Paternity leave?!”  I marveled to Dori as he cut my hair.  “How does that work?”

Dori explained that he qualified for the leave when he and his live-in girlfriend had a baby in March 2009.  Both parents would collect 80% of their recent average monthly wages from the country’s social security system.  It was enough to allow both of them not to worry about daily expenses while they provided their newborn with critical early parenting.  He was glad that the baby was born in 2009 because beginning in January 2010 the benefit was going to be cut by one month because of the country’s fiscal crisis.  He said that no one was happy about this cut, but everyone understood that it was a necessary sacrifice that everyone shared in, everyone from part-time freelancers, full-time workers, executives, and even legislators and government ministers.

Dori went further in telling me of his adjusted work schedule.  Everyone is given 18 months after the birth of the child within which to make use of the 3 or 6 months paid leave.  Because of his work as a hairdresser he had decided to take his leave not all at once, but in creative parcels of calendar time.  He took October 2009 off completely, worked half November, then worked a full month in December because of the holidays when many of his clients were busy getting ready for holiday parties).  In the first three months of 2010 he worked half-time and collected the benefit for the other half of each month.  This is how he totalled out the three months benefit. I asked him how difficult it was for him to arrange such a complicated schedule.  He replied that it was no different from taking the three months consecutively; it was just one form that was filled out and it was entirely his decision how he took the leave.  He decided to take 3 months leave while his girlfriend took 6 months leave.

He took note of a barrage of minor questions I began asking about this and began questioning me.  “Don’t you have any system to help parents?” he asked. I explained that there were very limited mandates for parental leave benefits, but they only cover full-time workers of large employers.  Because we place the financial burden of the benefits on the employer, small businesses are usually exempt, and the benefits in larger companies are minimal.  Over time businesses have been cutting the benefits rather than expanding them – even in ‘good’ economic times – because they are in competition with other businesses for maximum profitability.  Most parents in the US, if they want to take any significant time off to be with a newborn, must use any available vacation time or take time off without any pay.  Many workers have no such benefits at all.

I assured Dori that my hairdresser in Lenox, Massachusetts would be quite envious.  (She is.)

I was curious about the political environment that brought about this benefit of parental leave in Iceland, which applies to everyone.  It turns out that the latest enhancement to the program was to allow the father and mother to determine for themselves which one of them would take 6 months and which one would take 3 months of paid leave.  This enhancement was put in place by the conservative Independence Party when it was in power.  Prior to that, it was the mother who automatically qualified for 6 month leave, while the father received three months.

‘Family values’ obviously means something different to conservatives in Iceland than it does to conservatives in the US.

(Some policy beliefs among conservatives in the two countries are the same, though.  The Independence Party was voted out of power in 2009 when it was revealed how close-to-the-hip its leaders were with the bank presidents who successfully lobbied for bank de-regulation, resulting in disastrous greed-induced collapse, plunging the nation into near bankruptcy, and and bringing about strict IMF controls over its fiscal policies.)

During my most recent visit to Iceland in February 2011, I met with different people in Icelandic politics.  One person I met is a ‘Vice Parliamentarian’ who is next in line to step up into parliament when a sitting MP from her party takes her own maternity leave sometime this year.  Parental leave is given to everyone under the same terms – including legislators.

There’s only one union that can demand this level of benefit: a union of determined voters.

I make it a point to talk to voters of all political stripes – including those who support Greens, those who are conservative, or who describe their politics with any other label.  In Iceland, I couldn’t find evidence of any voter block that is not intent on keeping its social security system strong to reflect the kinds of values that parental leave represents.

Doesn’t it make sense to consider including important societal benefits like ‘parental leave’ as part of a universal social security system, as opposed to the system we have now?  We’ve seen how much resentment builds when one segment of workers is perceived at having a better deal than others.

We’re in a downward spiral of reduced expectations.  We don’t have an effective  method of lifting the boats in a rising tide.  Why not place key social programs such as parental leave into a social security fund that is administered for everyone – union members, non-union members, full-time workers, part-time workers, private sector workers, native born, immigrants, public sector workers, executives and elected officials.   If these key benefits need to be cut because of a recession or fiscal emergency, they’re cut for everyone, but with a strong voters union demanding a better future for the next generation, there’ll be more resilience.  The next generation will be thankful rather than resentful.  Equality is a family value that we instill with our policies.