Paid Leave

Paid leave policies allow employees to take time off work and still receive at least a portion of their regular pay. Paid leave can be used for various reasons, but is most commonly used for illness or for recovering from childbirth and bonding with a new child. Paid leave policies help sick parents and new families continue to access critical household resources that can catalyze positive outcomes. 

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Paid family leave programs providing a minimum of 6 weeks increase access to paid time off from work, reduce racial disparities in leave-taking, boost mothers’ labor force participation, improve maternal mental health, and foster better child-parent relationships and child health.

The Latest

Paid family leave is one of 12 evidence-based policies in our 2023 Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap, which details states’ progress toward adopting and implementing policies that effectively improve child and family wellbeing . As of
Policies supporting early childhood help people meet their full potential, as well as facilitate economic growth. Tax credits reduce child poverty, paid family leave improves parents’ mental health, and Early Head Start programs enhance literacy
Since our last update, legislatures and governors throughout the country have taken exciting action on state earned income tax credits (EITC), paid family leave, Medicaid expansion, extension of postpartum Medicaid coverage, and child care subsidies.
In addition to conducting research and evaluating evidence, at the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center, we also track state legislation and administrative action impacting young children and their families. These efforts provide us with context to
We released our 2022 Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap in October which provides guidance to state leaders on the most effective investments states can make to ensure all children thrive from the start. Below, you’ll find
Rigorous scientific evidence informs our annual policy guide, which gives states actionable solutions to improve outcomes for all young children.