Re: All else being equal...
In the UK men get 2 weeks paid paternity leave and both parents can then split the 12 months parental leave between them however they wish.
So it is entirely equal these days.
Correction: They can split it however the woman decides.
And in 100% of the cases I know of since that law arrived, is split 100% in favour of the woman, and 0% in favour of the man. I quote "That's MY maternity leave and HE's not getting any of it". I wonder why employers might be expected to make the same assumption.