Reluctant Fathers? A Mixed-Methods Approach to Grasp the Diversity of Mechanisms Behind Paternity Leave Non-Take-Up

From its introduction in 2002 to its reform in 2021, the 11-day paternity leave was an immediate success in France. Short, generous, and consistent with the contemporary norms of ‘involved fathering’, it combined all the necessary ingredients to ensure high take-up rates. In this favourable context, it is not so much the fathers who take their leave, but rather those who forgo it that raises questions. Who are these fathers? Why do they forfeit this right? Are they advocates of a ‘traditional’ paternal role, with a strong attachment to the male breadwinner model? This article uses mixed methods to identify the characteristics of fathers who do not take their paternity leave and explores the mechanisms underlying this non-take-up. While giving priority to work over paternity leave offers one angle of analysis, this excludes a large share of non-takers, such as new fathers without stable salaried employment. This article explores the multiple factors in non-take-up that may also include inadequate information or administrative obstacles.