Longer maternity leave (up to 25 weeks) is associated with reduced post-neonatal and infant mortality. [53] [15] A 2017 study found that when women took partially and fully paid maternity leave, the likelihood of relocating infants decreased by almost 50%. [15] According to the U.S. 2006-2010. While Democrats and Republicans largely agree that the government needs to tackle paid leave, the form of paid leave is the subject of much debate. Donald Trump has advocated for parental leave as a candidate and again in his first State of the Union address as president. Trump`s daughter Ivanka and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio have proposed a paid leave law that allows parents to use their Social Security funds to pay for their vacations, which critics say misleads people more about retirement savings than it helps parents. Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut spent five years defending a family vacation law that provides for 12 weeks of paid vacation funded by employee contributions from low-working and employer workers. Gillibrand and DeLauro`s bill still sits in Congress, but the Biden campaign has expressed support for giving Americans 12 weeks of paid vacation. New Jersey passed a paid family leave law in 2008 and began paying benefits in 2009. Under the Garden State program, new parents can receive up to 85% of their salary for up to 12 weeks of family leave.

FMLA leave grants maternal or family leave to encourage bonding with a new child. But while this seems to normalize child custody for both parents, it is far from an appropriate arrangement for new or adoptive fathers and mothers. A 2018 report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) ranked the United States as the last of 41 countries to grant leave. Several state paternity leave laws are more comprehensive than the FMLA. For example, they extend family leave to civil partnerships and registered partnerships. This requires careful consideration of the schedule, workload and expectations within the office. Employees can follow this plan before going on paternity leave: This paragraph is intended for employees who wish to be paid in accordance with their company`s extended leave policies. When employees opt for maternity or family leave, the Employee Guide to Family and Medical Leave Act[21] states that they may sometimes use their unspent sick leave, vacation, personal time, etc., that they have saved with their employer at the same time as their FMLA leave. in order to continue to be paid. To take such leave, « you must follow your employer`s normal leave rules, such as submitting a leave form or giving notice. Even if you don`t want to take your paid leave, your employer may ask you to take it during your FMLA leave.

« [22] In the meantime, if you have access to paternity leave, do everything you can to parenting more equally. Here are some ways to make the most of this free time: In addition, offering paternity leave breaks outdated traditional gender stereotypes that suggest that only women should take time off work to raise their children. Paternity leave makes it socially acceptable for all parents to take the time they need to communicate with and care for their growing family. It also levels the playing field for people returning from parental leave, as growing research suggests that many women face discrimination when they return to work after maternity leave. If everyone takes time off, men and women, there may be less discrimination when they return. In 2022, Washington, Connecticut, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington DC, Colorado, New Mexico, New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey enacted laws requiring paid family and sick leave laws beyond basic federal laws. [42] Some large U.S. companies are beginning to view paternity leave as an important benefit for esteemed employees.