The government should give new fathers double the amount of paternity leave they are currently given, the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) has urged.
In a Father's Day card delivered to Downing Street, the EOC set out its recommendations on parental leave following a poll of 1,200 fathers, 94% of whom took leave from work during their baby's first eight weeks.
Finding that over half of new fathers feel their current two-week entitlement is too short, the EOC has called on the government to give fathers a "Daddy Month" to be taken on a more flexible basis over the baby's first year.
Statutory paternity pay should also be increased to £200 per week, EOC said.
Four out of five fathers told the organisation the current pay level, £106 per week, is too low, with fathers from non-white groups and those in unskilled manual occupations less likely to take time off.
With 80% of men happy to stay at home and care for their child, a sea change over similar research taken two decades ago, the EOC is also pressing for shared parental leave rights in the second six months of the child's first year.
It believes this will give fathers a more equal chance to break from work and care for their child.
"Our leave system will continue to be antiquated and out of step with modern families unless the government revises its plans by creating extended, well-paid paternity leave and introduces shared paternal leave rather than transferable maternity leave," said Duncan Fisher, chief executive of Fathers Direct.
Despite overwhelming support from fathers for the measures, another study suggests the current system may reign.
According to information provider Croner half of employers believe a father's right to paternity leave should not be equal to that of the child's mother.
Mothers are currently entitled to take up to 52 weeks of maternity leave, payable for the first six weeks at the statutory maternity pay level of the lesser of £106 per week or 90% of the mother's average weekly earnings. The remaining 20 weeks are paid at £106 per week.
"I don't think our survey result suggests any sexual discrimination against fathers but merely a realistic approach to maternity and paternity leave," said Richard Smith, employment law expert at Croner.
"Maternity rights are in place to prevent discrimination of mothers who should not have to make the choice between a family and her career."
Smith said he doubts the government will ever equalise paternity rights to maternity leave and advised staff to be proactive, plan ahead and request leave as soon as they know the projected birth date of their child.
