Paid family and medical leave (PFML) is one of 12 evidence-based policies in our 2024 Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap, which details states’ progress toward adopting and implementing policies that effectively improve child and family wellbeing.
As of October 1, 2024, 14 states have adopted a PFML program in which all parents are allowed to take between 6 and 12 weeks off work to bond with a new child. Ten of those states have already implemented their programs, and the remaining four states will do so by the end of 2026. States’ paid family and medical leave programs vary depending on several policy choices that can impact take-up and equitable access.
Just this year, 27 states introduced legislation to establish or modify a paid leave program. Additionally, one state—Colorado—that previously passed legislation began implementing its programs.
Read the brief for more details on state progress.
The recently updated Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap provides insight into the core policy levers and further illustrates their interplay through vivid graphics, showcasing the variation in paid family and medical leave policies across states.
