parental leave

U.K. dads are wrapping baby slings on male statues to push for more paternity leave

7:01am September 21, 2024

The purpose is to raise awareness on the U.K.'s low paternity leave benefits, which currently stand at two weeks of paid time off for new fathers.

Finland's government, led by Prime Minister Sanna Marin, announced it will extend family leave for both parents to nearly seven months. Marin is seen here arriving at an EU summit in Brussels in December.

Finland's Women-Led Government Has Equalized Family Leave: 7 Months For Each Parent

2:52pm February 05, 2020

by Laurel Wamsley

Under the new policy, families are entitled to a total 14 months of paid leave. The health minister says the goal is to both improve gender equality and boost a declining birth rate.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a landmark proposal that would give 2 million workers paid leave upon the birth or adoption of a child, in what worker advocates call a hard-won victory.

Politics & Government

Federal Workers Poised To Get 12 Weeks Paid Parental Leave

6:10pm December 11, 2019

by Yuki Noguchi

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a landmark proposal that would give 2 million workers paid leave upon the birth or adoption of a child, in what worker advocates call a hard-won victory.

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Most workers are covered by the Family Medical Leave Act, which allows up to 12 weeks of leave per year to care for family members. But that leave is unpaid. Now, Republicans are making paid family leave a legislative policy.

Lawmakers Agree On Paid Family Leave, But Not The Details

7:36pm February 27, 2018

by Yuki Noguchi

Passage of paid family leave laws in states like Washington is spurring federal lawmakers from both parties to float their own proposals, but so far support is not bridging party lines.

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Sandy Robson (left) and Crystal Hall rally for legislation for paid sick leave on April 11, 2016, in Annapolis, Md. Under a bill recently sent to Gov. Larry Hogan, businesses with 15 or more full-time employees would be required to allow workers to earn a

Businesses Push Back On Paid-Sick-Leave Laws

7:15am May 06, 2017

by Yuki Noguchi

Dozens of states and cities require businesses to offer paid sick leave. But some employers are looking for ways to pre-empt those requirements, including at the federal level.

Florance Eloi works the omelet station at Hilton's Conrad Miami. By the time Eloi gave birth, a new company policy guaranteed her 10 weeks of fully paid parental leave.

National

From Cooks To Accountants: Hilton Extends Paid Parental Leave To All

3:23pm October 12, 2016

by Jennifer Ludden

The growth in paid parental leave has largely left out hourly employees. But the Hilton hotel chain this year extended it to all its workers. Demand by millennial employees helped drive the decision.

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In the first months of life, there are 700 new synapses formed in the brain every second. Nurturing — or the lack of nurturing — in these months can have lifelong effects.

A Pediatrician's View Of Paid Parental Leave

6:55pm October 10, 2016

by NPR Staff

Paternity leave can make a big difference in a dad's long-term engagement with the child, doctors find. Paid family leave also fosters breastfeeding and reduces the incidence of maternal depression.

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(Left) Edith Einarsson, Kristina Ingemarsdotter Persson, Samuel Einarsson and Per Einarsson. (Center) Yao Zhang, Shanshan Zhang and Rachel Meng. (Right) Lama Dossary and her daughter Leila.

Countries Around The World Beat The U.S. On Paid Parental Leave

10:23am October 07, 2016

by Jessica Deahl

Out of 193 countries in the United Nations, the U.S. is one of a small handful that do not have a national paid parental leave law. Most of the world reached a standard on this issue decades ago.

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Mike Cruse changes his daughter Olivia's diaper, while his 4 year-old son Benjamin and wife, Stephanie, fold laundry in their home in Alexandria, Va. Mike went back to work less than two weeks after Olivia was born.

National

'I Wasn't There To Help': Dad With Newborn Struggles With Lack Of Leave

10:18am October 06, 2016

by NPR Staff

American mothers are working outside the home now more than in any other past generation. As a consequence, dads have greater household responsibility, especially when it comes to child-rearing.

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Tricia Olson takes a selfie of herself and her son Augustus, or Gus, who sits in his car seat. Olson took three weeks of unpaid leave from her job at a towing company in Rock Springs, Wyo., after giving birth.

On Your Mark, Give Birth, Go Back To Work

6:05pm October 04, 2016

by Jennifer Ludden

Tricia Olson gave birth to her son and was back on the job three weeks later. Like most Americans, she doesn't get paid family leave, and she's among the 40 percent who don't qualify for unpaid leave.

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