How Parent Leave Can Support Dads in the Workplace - Arcoro

The federal FMLA allows eligible employees to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons while keeping their health insurance coverage. The FMLA allows employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for the following reasons: 

• the birth of a child and to care for the newborn child within one year of birth  
• the placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care and to care for the newly placed child within one year of placement 
• to care for the employee’s spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition 
• a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of his or her job 
• any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent is a covered military member on “covered active duty” 

Many states have extended the FMLA’s provisions or employee eligibility. As of June 2022, the states that offer benefits for parents beyond what the FMLA requires includes: 

• California: Along with adding four months of unpaid family leave, the state’s Paid Family Leave insurance program provides up to eight weeks of paid leave to care for a seriously ill child, spouse, parent or registered domestic partner or to bond with a new child. 
• Colorado: The state offers up to 12 weeks of paid leave for the birth of a child, adoption or fostering of a child or to care for a child with a serious health condition.. 
• Connecticut: The state expands on the FMLA by offering up to 12 weeks of paid leave in two years for the birth or adoption of a child or placement of a child in foster care. It also covers caring for a sick child with a serious medical condition. 
• D.C.: Eligible employees in D.C. may receive up to eight weeks to bond with a new child and two weeks for prenatal care as well as eight weeks to care for a child with a serious health condition. 
• Delaware: The state offers eligible employees up to 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a child after birth, adoption or placement through foster care or to care for a child with a serious health condition.  
• Hawaii: The state offers employees up to four weeks, unpaid, per year for the birth of a child, placement through adoption or foster care and caring for a child with a serious health issue. Also permitted are intermittent leave for birth and adoption placement. 
• Maine: Eligible employees receive up to 10 weeks of unpaid leave in two years for the birth of a child or adoption of a child. 
• Massachusetts: Up to 12 weeks of paid leave to bond with a child or care for a child. 
• Minnesota: The state offers eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for the birth or adoption of a child. It also permits employees to use personal sick leave to care for an ill or injured child. 
• New Hampshire: The state offers paid leave to care for an infant in the first year after the child’s birth. Coverage also applies to employees so they can be with a child after adoption or foster placement or care for a child with a serious health condition. 
• New Jersey: The state offers unpaid leave up to 12 weeks in 12 months or 56 intermittent days to care for a child any time during the first year after the child’s birth or adoption or care for a seriously ill child.  
• New York: The state offers paid leave for up to 12 weeks per year for the birth of a child or placement of a child in adoption or foster care. It also covers caring for a child with a serious health issue. 
• Oregon: Oregon offers up to 12 weeks of paid leave per year for the birth of a child or placement of a child from adoption or foster care as well as caring for a child with a serious health issue. 
• Rhode Island: The Rhode Island Temporary Caregiver Insurance Program provides up to five weeks of paid leave for the birth, adoption or fostering of a new child and also covers caring for a child with a serious health issue. 
• Vermont: Up to 12 weeks in 12 months of unpaid leave parental or family leave. The employee can substitute available sick, vacation or other paid leave for up to six weeks. Does not require spouses to share leave, which means both partners can care for the child at the same time. 
• Washington: The state provides up to a total of 12 weeks of paid leave during any 12-month period for the birth of a child, the placement of a child for adoption or foster care or to care for a child with a serious health condition. 
• Wisconsin: The state provides up to six weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child. It also provides up to two weeks to care for a child with a serious health condition.