The First Paternity Leave of the 2013 Major League Baseball Season- The Oakland A’s Brandon Moss
Oakland Athletics’ Brandon Moss is a new dad taking paternity leave- he can also hit a little (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
It is only 72 hours, but it’s a step in the right direction. Baseball’s policy, unique among major sports, represents a formal endorsement of the concept of paternity leave.
Prior to this policy, players were often excused for a day or two by their teams- but it was totally at management’s discretion, and the team would have to play with the disadvantage of one fewer player on the roster until the new dad returned.
Now, teams can call up a player from their minor league system to replace the new dad on the roster for the 2-3 games he misses and the team cannot deny up to a 72-hour leave.
… and, of course, congratulations to Brandon Moss and his wife!
The details, from Hardball Talk:
Brandon Moss will be away from the A’s for 2-3 days on paternity leave, so the team called up Shane Peterson from Triple-A to take his spot on the roster. Moss has been playing almost every day after platooning last season and is off to a nice start, hitting .283 with two homers and an .844 OPS in 13 games. Peterson is a 25-year-old career minor leaguer who was off to a huge start in his third crack at Triple-A, hitting .410 in 11 games. Moss can remain on paternity leave for a maximum of 72 hours.
What do you think about MLB’s Paternity Leave Policy? Any paternity leave stories to share? Let’s discuss in the comments section.
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