Attitudes of employers toward family policy and increased paternal involvement in child care

Thirty-six Israeli personnel directors were interviewed regarding their attitudes about parental role in the family and their support of maternal policy and family policy programs. Most agreed that the combined family and work load of mothers is larger than that of fathers, but many believed that fathers can do well in child care. Nevertheless, fewer subjects supported sex-neutral family policy programs, much less than those supporting maternal policy programs. It is suggested that researchers' attempts to influence family policy should be directed not only to senior policymakers, but to those institutions and individuals that play a significant role in everyday life, such as employers.