70% Dads Don't Leave Jobs due to Financial Burden: Survey|兒福:7成爸爸有經濟壓力 不敢辭職

A new survey published on Father's Day shows that most corporations in Taiwan have done a less than ideal job in supporting male employees. Some respondents said they are reluctant to apply for vacations and subsidies during their wives' pregnancy, while 70 percent said they cannot quit due to financial pressure.


Local blogger Bloodranbo chooses to take two years off in parental leave to help his wife take care of their children. He received a lot of support from his friends and colleagues.

It doesn't matter if (the stay home parent) is male or female, or whether it's father or mother. Many even praised me for having the guts to make the decision.

On the other hand, another blogger Rabbit Dad said that he had unkind comments coming his way when he first quit his job six years ago. But he went through with the decision, agreed upon by him and his wife, to spend time with their children.

Many asked whether I quit my job because my career wasn't going well, or that if I was living off of my wife's salary. I think the most important thing in a marriage is to stick with the common decision that me and my wife agreed upon.

The majority of fathers still cannot choose to quit their job to be full-time dads due to financial pressure. According to the latest survey conducted by the Child Welfare League Foundation, 70 percent of fathers cannot make that decision due to financial pressure, and many choose not to apply for government subsidies due to worries on their career development.

The (fathers') first concern is financial pressure; their second concern is whether they will be able to return to their original positions after they apply for government subsidies, or whether the decision will affect their career development in the future.

The Child Welfare League Foundation surveyed 884 fathers in Taipei, New Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung City. The results show that only 2.5 percent of the fathers were stay-home dads for two years, and only 9.7 percent applied for government subsidies during their leave. Around 30 percent did not apply for any subsidies or vacations. The foundation graded the friendliness of corporations towards fathers a low 47 out of 100.