One of my staff, who happens to be one of the best workers I have ever had, has a wife that is currently pregnant. The funny thing is that instead of the wife showing all the pregnancy wahala, it is the man himself that is suffering from the symptoms. Since his wife got pregnant, he has been experiencing morning sickness. He complains of nausea almost every day. Sometimes he rushes to the restroom to vomit as if he is the one carrying the baby. He says he feels dizzy and weak all the time. His appetite has changed drastically. One moment he is craving akara and bread, the next moment he cannot stand the smell of food in the office. There are days he comes in holding his waist, saying his back is paining him. He even told me he has been battling mood swings and sleepless nights. Honestly, it is like his wife transferred everything to him. Now, the problem is that these symptoms are affecting his productivity at work. This is someone that used to deliver sharply without stress, but now he gets tired easily and loses concentration. He came to me recently, begging me to give him some leave so he can rest and get himself together. The challenge is that he has already exhausted his annual leave for the year. The only other leave available is maternity leave, which is strictly for women who just gave birth. He is insisting that since what he is experiencing is linked to his wife’s pregnancy, I should consider giving him maternity leave. He even said that once his wife gives birth, he will be fine and return to his usual self. The part that touched me most, was when he told me that, as a woman, I should understand him better than anyone else. The truth is that I do understand his pain because I have seen how hard pregnancy can be. But granting him maternity leave when his wife has not even delivered feels like breaking company policy. I am also worried that if I bend the rules for him, other male staff may start demanding maternity leave as well. The painful thing is that he is not just any random staff. He is extremely good at his job. You know those rare workers you cannot easily replace, he is one of them. Watching him struggle like this is affecting me personally because I know how valuable he is. But at the same time, if I take a decision out of pity, it might backfire and create unnecessary problems in the office. So I am stuck. What should I do? Should I give him maternity leave even though it is against policy? If you were in my shoes, would you bend the rules for him or stand your ground?