The Prime Minister's Labor Pains

This article from The New York Times focuses on maternity leave, but one for fathers as well. Prime Minister Tony Blair talks about how he is expecting his fourth child, and how he feels there should be support offered to fathers for a paternity leave.
Under the new rules in the European Union, both parents are entitled to 13 weeks of unpaid time off during the first five years of a child's life.
Usually, the mother of the child takes the leave, but many working fathers who have resisted taking parental time off are changing their minds. Fathers usually find that they are too busy or they worry that if they wanted to take time off it may put their job in jeopardy. Tony Blair is getting criticized that it took him being a busy father to enforce the rule, but others are happy that the fact fathers are important is finally being recognized.
The rules under the European leave law reflects the same as the one mandated for women. Company size, amount of years worked, and job security are some of the factors still being worked on. Tony Blair estimates that the law will be in full effect sometime in the middle of 2008.