Special
grant will allow dads the opportunity to have paid paternity leave, even if their jobs do not offer it. The idea of paid paternity leave has hit the national stage as focus shifts from new moms to the whole family unit when a child is born.
As companies decide to offer the added benefit to new parents, one company is offering a grant to dads who do not have access to paid paternity leave.
Dove started a Paternity Leave Fund that is an effort to raise over $1 million for dads across America over the next two years, according to their website.
The fund will provide fathers who do not have access to paternity leave with $5,000 grants so they can be home to spend time with their new children.
Dove says, "Working dads shouldn't have to choose between their children and a paycheck—because when they take paternity leave, it benefits families, workplaces and communities."
They have also created a pledge for working men and fathers to sign to commit to helping companies provide paternity leave to new dads. Signing the pledge is a requirement for those who wish to receive the grant.
CNN has reported other big companies such as Starbucks, Lowe's, CVS, Dollar General and Walmart, have expanded or created new family leave policies, many specifically geared towards working dads, in the last year.
The political landscape for paternity leave is also changing. In the past four years, the number of lawmakers supportive of paid family leave has more than doubled.
However, only 15% of workers in the US have access to paid family leave.
CNN's Sunlen Serfaty contributed to this report.
