Alabama One Of The Worst States For Working Dads

WASHINGTON, DC - Being a father is one of the most difficult - yet rewarding - roles a man fills in life. But being able to find a balance between a career and parenting can be hard, and a recent study shows that difficulty may vary depending on where a person lives.

With Father’s Day approaching and more than 93 percent of dads with young kids working today, the personal finance website, WalletHub, today released its report on 2019’s Best & Worst States for Working Dads. Alabama unfortunately ranks among the 10 worst states in that category.

WalletHub compared the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia across 22 key indicators of friendliness toward working dads. The data set ranges from average length of work day for males to child-care costs to share of men in good or better health.

The study compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across four key dimensions: 1) Economic and Social Well-Being, 2) Work-Life Balance, 3) Child Care and 4) Health.

Alabama ranked 34th in Economic and Social Well-Being; 44th in Work-Life Balance; 43rd in Child Care; and 48th in Health. Alabama ranked 50th in men's life expectancy.

"Workplace demands have increased, yet men are also expected to and want to be more involved in their family and home lives," said Dr. Jennifer Augustine of the University of South Carolina. "Unfortunately, few work places have adapted to this reality, in terms of policy as well as culture. Men are still expected to prioritize work over family, but this presents challenges, particularly in an era when many men have partners who are working too."