Which States Offer Paid Parental Leave?
Getting paid while you’re on parental leave or maternity leave is pretty dang important for most new parents, but navigating the ins and outs of all the different parental leave policies out there is enough to make an exhausted new parent cry into their keyboard.
Don’t do that! I’m here to help.
As a reminder, there are three main ways you can get paid during your parental leave when you welcome a baby into your family.
Your employer
Short-term disability
Your state
If you’re looking for info about employer-sponsored leave or short-term disability check out this blog post.
And if you’re looking for info on which states offer paid parental leave and what those programs offer you're in the right place.
If you’re lucky enough to live in a state listed below, you are likely eligible to receive paid parental leave through your state’s program. Generally, these programs offer a set amount of partially paid leave for both parents regardless of gender and birthing status (so this includes dads as well as families like those with two moms or two dads, surrogates, adoptive parents, and foster parents) and then additional time for the pregnant parent.
Finding reliable information about state-sponsored leave programs rates just about as likely as my toddler eating the dinner I specifically cooked for her—low. So I compiled this list of all 13 states (and Washington D.C.) that offer paid parental leave.
But first, a few state-sponsored paid parental leave (very biased) details:
CA, NY, and NJ rank at the top of the pack in terms of the best policies in the US. The programs are still pretty terrible in comparison to how the rest of the world treats parental leave.
If you qualify for any state-sponsored benefits, you should use them to the fullest extent with no guilt. These programs are (mostly) insurance programs that you and/or your employer have paid into your entire working life. You deserve to take this paid time off.
Oregon is the latest state to launch their program and they win for the cutest program administrator name—Frances.
Several states offer time off to pregnant people before the baby arrives. If this is your first baby I HIGHLY recommend taking this time off. You’re going to have a baby (who will grow into a demanding toddler, then child, etc.) for the rest of your life. Enjoy your final me time.
If you Google “Michigan paid parental leave,” the first search result makes it look like Michigan in fact offers paid parental leave. It does not. It offers paid parental leave to government employees, but no one else. If you’re a Michigan-er and you think you deserve state-sponsored paid leave I’d send out an email to your Governor asap.
Here are the (unbiased) facts about the state-sponsored parental leave programs available in the U.S.
California offers two paid parental leave programs.
Paid Family Leave (PFL)—Offers up to 8 weeks of partially paid leave to all parents regardless of gender or birthing status.
State Disability Insurance (SDI)—Offers 4 weeks of partially paid leave before the due date and 6-8 weeks of partially paid leave defending on the delivery to all birthing parents. SDI can be extended up to a total of 52 weeks if the parent has complications.
Read more about CA’s programs here.
Starting Jan. 2024, employees living in Colorado may be eligible for Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI), which offers up to 12 weeks of partially paid leave regardless of gender or birthing status. Those who are pregnant or experience childbirth complications may receive an additional 4 weeks of partially paid leave. Even if you had your baby in 2023 you may still qualify!
Connecticut’s paid parental leave program, CT Paid Leave, offers up to 12 weeks of partially paid leave regardless of gender or birthing status. Those who are pregnant or experience childbirth complications may receive an additional 2 weeks of partially paid leave.
Beginning in Jan. 2026, workers living in Delaware may qualify for Delaware Paid Leave, which offers up to 12 weeks of partially paid leave to new parents regardless of gender or birthing status.
Starting in Jan. 2026, eligible workers in Maine will have access to up to 12 weeks of partially paid leave.
Beginning in 2026, Maryland will launch their paid parental leave program, The Division of Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI), which will offer up to 12 weeks of partially paid leave to eligible workers living in Maryland.
Massachusetts offers two different programs to new and expecting parents.
Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML)—Offers up to 12 weeks of partially paid leave for new parents regardless of gender or birthing status.
Medical Leave—Offers up to 20 weeks of partially paid leave during pregnancy or to recover from childbirth, for a combined total of no more than 26 weeks of leave with PFML per benefit year.
Launching in 2026, MN will offer two different paid parental leave programs.
Family Leave—provides up to 12 weeks of partially paid leave for all new parents regardless of gender or birthing status
Medical Leave—provides up to 12 weeks of partially paid leave to recover from childbirth, for a combined total of no more than 20 weeks with Family leave per claim year.
New Hampshire’s one paid leave program, NH PFML, provides up to 6 or 12 weeks of partially paid leave for employees depending on your employer’s plan for all new parents regardless of gender or birthing status.
New Jersey offers two different paid parental leave programs.
Family Leave Insurance (FML)—offers workers12 continuous weeks (over a 12-month period) or 56 intermittent days of partially paid leave.
Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI)—Offers 4 weeks of partially paid leave before the due date and 6 to 8 weeks of partially paid leave depending on the delivery to all birthing parents. TDI can be extended up to a total of 26 weeks if the parent has complications.
New York offers two parental leave programs to those living in New York
Paid Family Leave (PFL)—Offers up to 12 weeks of partially paid leave to all parents regardless of gender or birthing status.
State Disability Insurance (SDI)—Offers 4 weeks of partially paid leave before the due date and 6-8 weeks of partially paid leave depending on the delivery to all birthing parents. SDI can be extended up to a total of 26 weeks if the parent has complications.
Paid Leave Oregon launched in September 2023 and offers up to 12 weeks of partially paid leave regardless of gender or birthing status within a 52-week period. Those who are pregnant or experience childbirth complications may receive an additional 2 weeks of leave for a total of 14 weeks. If you had your baby between Sept. 2022 and Sept. 2023 you may still qualify! Read more about Oregon’s paid parental leave program here.
RI Paid Leave offers up to six weeks of partially paid leave to all new parents regardless of gender or birthing status.
Rhode Island also offers Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI), which offers partially paid leave to those who are unable to work because of a disability (such as complications due to pregnancy and or childbirth) that is certified by a medical provider.
Washington state offers two different paid leave programs.
Family Leave—provides up to 12 weeks of partially paid leave to all new parents regardless of gender or birthing status.
Medical Leave—provides up to 12 weeks of partially paid leave to those who are unable to work because of a disability (such as complications due to pregnancy and or childbirth) that is certified by a medical provider. The first six weeks following childbirth are designated as Medical Leave. Within one claim year, you can take a maximum of 18 weeks combined medical and family leave.
Washington D.C.’s paid parental leave program, DC Paid Family Leave, offers four different types of paid family leave programs.
Prenatal Leave: pregnant people can take up to two weeks of partially paid leave before delivery to attend prenatal care visits.
Parental Leave: After delivery, both parents regardless of gender or birthing status will receive up to eight weeks of partially paid leave.
Medical Leave: This provides up to 12 weeks of partially paid leave to those who are unable to work because of a disability (such as complications due to pregnancy and or childbirth) that is certified by a medical provider. Prenatal leave is included in Medical Leave.
Family Leave: Provides up to 12 weeks of partially paid leave to care for a seriously ill family member. You may receive a max of 12 weeks of partially paid leave per claim year under all of DC Paid Family Leave.
If your head is spinning, I understand. It almost feels like they make these programs confusing on purpose. But don’t give up. You can make thousands of dollars through these programs.
My clients on average take a five-and-a-half-month parental leave and make $19,890 dollars during their leave through the state.
If you’d like support navigating your parental leave to make sure you get the longest and highest-paid parental leave possible, book a call with me. I’d love to chat!
