WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 3, 2025 – 37 states do not have a statewide paid leave program, while the U.S. is one of six countries in the world that does not have a guaranteed, comprehensive paid family leave program at the national level. This lack of access has led 14 states (including the District of Columbia) to respond by creating their own statewide programs.
February 5 marks the 32nd anniversary of the FMLA – the Family and Medical Leave Act – which is the only nationwide law that guarantees time off for workers’ serious health and caregiving needs. While the FMLA has been used more than 500 million times, it has its shortcomings: it does not guarantee pay during leave, and nearly half the workforce cannot make use of the benefit because they do not fulfill eligibility requirements around work tenure and hours. This current climate means that Americans’ ability to take time off is solely dependent on whether they are fortunate enough to have an employer who provides paid family and medical leave, or to work in a state that guarantees the benefit.
“Paid Leave Means a Stronger Nation” is NPWF’s annual look at state policies on paid leave. The new analysis shows just how harmful a lack of investment in policies that help workers trying to care for their families can be, in states across the country.
The new study shows that the lack of paid leave in the following states is hurting their economy, making the state less competitive, and hurting personal finances in the long run.
“Year after year, our research shows that paid leave helps women and their families. Yet the United States still lags far behind other industrialized countries in offering the support workers need to balance their responsibilities at work with their caregiving duties at home,” said Jocelyn C. Frye, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families. “Our organization will continue to fight for a national, comprehensive paid leave policy for all – one that meets the needs of workers and their families.”
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Read the state-specific press releases for the following states without paid leave: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Hawai’i, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming
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