The following is adapted from a policy platform originally circulated by a fathers’-rights advocacy group. It reflects that group’s policy positions, not an official FER position or existing law.
The platform argues for a set of federal and state reforms intended to reduce discrimination against fathers in family law, including:
- Explicitly including fathers in the legal definition of “family” used in federally funded family programs
- A uniform paternity process that includes DNA evidence and protects minors from being held to paternity acknowledgments without an adult or attorney present
- Automatically suspending child support orders during incarceration, hospitalization, or extended unemployment, rather than letting arrears accrue
- Stronger oversight of child support enforcement offices to prevent billing errors, including continuing to bill for support after an obligor has died
- A statute of limitations on initiating or collecting child support, and protecting Social Security benefits from garnishment
Whatever your view of specific proposals like these, the underlying concern — that family policy should treat fathers as equal parents, not just a funding source — is one Fathers for Equal Rights shares.