Leave laws by state in 2024

There are 43 state laws and counting governing parental, medical, and caregiver leave in the United States which means employee leave compliance is non-negotiable for People teams. We built this guide to give you a holistic view into leave laws with job-protection, paid leave programs, and new leave insurance products being introduced across the United States.

We hope you find the information, content, and materials we provide useful. They are meant for general informational purposes only, and are not intended as legal advice.

Paid leave benchmarks for HR teams

Your peers are offering paid leave to help fill in the patchwork of state leave laws. See how you compare.

StateLeave lawStatusParental leaveMedical leaveCaregiver leave
FederalFamily and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Active
Up to 12 weeks of job-protected timeUp to 12 weeks of job-protected timeUp to 12 weeks of job-protected time
AlabamaPaid Family Leave Income Replacement Benefit Act
Active - leave insurance
TBDN/ATBD
AlaskaNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
ArkansasAn Act To Allow Certain Insurers to Offer Family Leave Insurance
Active - leave insurance
TBDN/ATBD
ArizonaNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
CaliforniaCA Pregnancy Disability Leave Law (CA PDL)
Active
N/AUp to 4 months of job-protected timeN/A
CA Family Rights Act (CFRA)
Active
Up to 12 weeks of job-protected timeUp to 12 weeks of job-protected timeUp to 12 weeks of job-protected time
CA State Disability Insurance (CA SDI)
Active
N/AUp to 52 weeks of partial payN/A
CA Paid Family Leave (CA PFL)
Active
‍Up to 8 weeks of partial payN/A‍Up to 8 weeks of partial pay
ColoradoCO Family Care Act (FCA)
Active
N/AN/AUp to 12 weeks of job-protected time
CO Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act (FAMLI)
Active
Up to 12 weeks of job-protected time and partial payUp to 12 weeks of job-protected time and partial pay (Up to 4 additional weeks for pregnancy or childbirth complications)Up to 12 weeks of job-protected time and partial pay
ConnecticutCT Family and Medical Leave Act (CT FMLA)
Active
Up to 12 weeks of job-protected timeUp to 12 weeks of job-protected time (Up to 2 additional weeks for pregnancy or childbirth complications)Up to 12 weeks of job-protected time (Up to 26 weeks to care for a covered service member)
CT Paid Leave (CTPL)
Active
Up to 12 weeks of partial payUp to 12 weeks of partial pay (Up to 2 additional weeks for pregnancy or childbirth complications)Up to 12 weeks of job-protected time (Up to 26 weeks to care for a covered service member)
DelawareHealthy Delaware Families Act
Upcoming
Benefits begin 1/1/26
Up to 12 weeks of job-protected time and partial payUp to 6 weeks of job-protected time and partial payUp to 6 weeks of job-protected time and partial pay
District of ColumbiaDC Family and Medical Leave Act (DC FMLA)
Active
Up to 16 weeks of job-protected time in a 24-month periodUp to 16 weeks of job-protected time in a 24-month period (in addition to family leave)Up to 16 weeks of job-protected time in a 24-month period
DC Paid Family Leave (PFL)
Active
Up to 12 weeks of partial payUp to 12 weeks of partial payUp to 12 weeks of partial pay
FloridaHB 731 - Paid Family Leave Insurance
Active - leave insurance
TBDN/ATBD
GeorgiaNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
HawaiiHawaii Family Leave Law (HFLL)
Active
Up to 4 weeks of job-protected timeN/AUp to 4 weeks of job-protected time
Hawaii Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI)
Active
N/AUp to 26 weeks of partial payN/A
IdahoNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
IllinoisNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
IndianaNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
IowaNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
KansasNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
KentuckyPaid Family Leave Insurance Act
Active - leave insurance
TBDN/ATBD
LouisianaNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
MaineME Family and Medical Leave Act (ME FMLA)
Active
Up to 10 weeks of job-protected time in a 2 year periodUp to 10 weeks of job-protected time in a 2 year periodUp to 10 weeks of job-protected time in a 2 year period
ME Paid Family and Medical Leave Act
Upcoming
Benefits begin 5/1/26
Up to 12 weeks of partial payUp to 12 weeks of partial payUp to 12 weeks of partial pay
MarylandMD Parental Leave Act (MD PLA)
Active
Up to 6 weeks of job-protected timeN/AN/A
MD Time to Care Act
Upcoming
Benefits begin 7/1/26
Up to 12 weeks of job-protected time and partial payUp to 12 weeks of job-protected time and partial pay (this may be in addition to 12 weeks for parental leave, if employee takes leave for their own serious health condition)Up to 12 weeks of job-protected time and partial pay
MassachusettsMA Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (MA PFML)
Active
Up to 12 weeks of job-protected time and partial payUp to 20 weeks of job-protected time with partial payUp to 26 weeks of job-protected time and partial pay for a family member who was injured serving in the armed forces
MA Parental Leave Law
Active
Up to 8 weeks of job-protected timeN/AN/A
MichiganNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
MinnesotaMN Pregnancy and Parental Leave Act
Active
Up to 12 weeks of job-protected timeUp to 12 weeks of job-protected timeUp to 12 weeks of job-protected time
MN Paid Family and Medical Leave
Upcoming
Benefits begin 1/1/26
Up to 12 weeks of job-protected time and partial payUp to 12 weeks of job-protected time and partial payUp to 12 weeks of job-protected time and partial pay
MississippiNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
MissouriNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
MontanaNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
NebraskaNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
NevadaNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
New HampshireNH Paid Family and Medical Leave
Active - voluntary
Up to 6 or 12 weeks of job-protected time and partial pay, depending on employer insurance policyUp to 6 or 12 weeks of job-protected time and partial pay, depending on employer insurance policyUp to 6 or 12 weeks of job-protected time and partial pay, depending on employer insurance policy
New JerseyNJ Family Leave Act (NJ FLA)
Active
Up to 12 weeks of job-protected time in a 24-month periodN/AUp to 12 weeks of job-protected time in a 24-month period
NJ Temporary Disability Insurance (NJ TDI)
Active
N/AUp to 26 weeks of partial payN/A
NJ Family Leave Insurance (NJ FLI)
Active
Up to 12 weeks of partial pay (Up to 8 weeks if taken intermittently)N/AUp to 12 weeks of partial pay (Up to 8 weeks if taken intermittently)
New MexicoNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
New YorkNY Paid Family Leave (NY PFL)
Active
Up to 12 weeks of job-protected time and partial payN/AUp to 12 weeks of job-protected time and partial pay
NY Disability Benefits Law (NY DBL)
Active
N/AUp to 26 weeks of partial payN/A
North CarolinaNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
North DakotaNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
OhioNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
OklahomaNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
OregonOregon Family Leave Act (OFLA)
Active
Up to 12 weeks of job-protected timeUp to 12 weeks of job-protected timeUp to 12 weeks of job-protected time
OR Paid Family Leave
Active
Up to 12 weeks of job-protected time and partial payUp to 12 weeks of job-protected time and partial pay (Up to 2 additional weeks for pregnancy or childbirth complications)Up to 12 weeks of job-protected time and partial pay
PennsylvaniaNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
Rhode IslandRI Parental and Family Medical Leave (PFML)
Active
Up to 13 weeks of job-protected in any 2-year periodN/AUp to 13 weeks of job-protected in any 2-year period
RI Temporary Caregiver Insurance (TCI)
Active
Up to 6 weeks of job-protected time and partial payN/AUp to 6 weeks of job-protected time and partial pay
RI Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI)
Active
N/AUp to 30 weeks of partial payN/A
South CarolinaNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
South DakotaNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
TennesseeTN Human Rights & Disability Act
Active
Up to 4 months of job-protected timeN/AN/A
Tennessee Paid Family Leave Insurance Act
Active - leave insurance
TBDN/ATBD
TexasGroup Family Leave Insurance Act
Active - leave insurance
TBDN/ATBD
UtahNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
VermontVT Parental and Family Leave Act (VT PFLA)
Active
Up to 12 weeks of job-protected timeUp to 12 weeks of job-protected timeUp to 12 weeks of job-protected time
VT Family and Medical Leave Insurance Plan (VT-FMLI)
Active - voluntary
Up to 6 weeks of partial payUp to 6 weeks of partial payUp to 6 weeks of partial pay
VirginiaVA Paid Leave Insurance
Active - leave insurance
TBDN/ATBD
WashingtonWA Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (WA PFML)
Active
Up to 12 weeks of job-protected time and partial payUp to 12 weeks of job-protected time and partial pay (Up to 2 additional weeks for pregnancy or childbirth complications)Up to 12 weeks of job-protected time and partial pay
West VirginiaNone
None
N/AN/AN/A
WisconsinWI Family and Medical Leave Act (WI FMLA)
Active
Up to 6 weeks of job-protected timeUp to 2 weeks of job-protected timeUp to 2 weeks of job-protected time
WyomingNone
None
N/AN/AN/A

We hope you find the information, content, and materials we provide useful. They are meant for general informational purposes only, and are not intended as legal advice.

What you need to know about federal and state leave laws

What leave types does Cocoon support?

Cocoon currently supports all FMLA-covered leave types: parental, medical, caregiver, and military family leaves, as well as ADA accommodation leaves and personal leaves. Cocoon is currently working to support partial-day intermittent leaves by the end of the year.

When is an employee eligible for FMLA?

To be eligible for leave under FMLA, employees must:

• Have worked at your company for at least 12 months

• Have worked at least 1,250 hours during the 12 months leading up to the leave, and

• Be employed at a location with 50 or more employees within 75 miles of the employee’s worksite.

How is state leave insurance different from state paid leave laws?

Thanks to a Paid Family Leave (PFL) Insurance Model Act adopted in 2022, states can create a new line of private insurance that employers can voluntarily purchase for their employees to provide benefits for paid parental, family caregiving, and/or military leave. This private solution provides an avenue for employers to provide family leave benefits in states without a paid leave program.

What does Cocoon do again?

Cocoon is a leave management platform that uses first-of-its-kind technology to take the work out of employee leave. We partner with People teams at forward-thinking companies like Carta, Ironclad, and Vanta to save them hours per week, mitigate risk, and reduce stress for employees during life’s pivotal moments like welcoming a new baby or caring for a sick family member. Unlike traditional solutions, our software automates the most complex parts of compliance, claims, and payroll for a more efficient, modern, reliable experience. We support all FMLA leave types, personal leave, and ADA leave accommodations.

What are qualifying leave reasons under FMLA?

• The birth of a child, and to bond with the newborn child;
• The placement of a child for adoption or foster care, and to bond with that child;
• To care for an immediate family member (spouse, child, or parent – but not a parent “in-law”) with a serious health condition;
• To take medical leave when the employee is unable to work because of a serious health condition; or
• For qualifying reasons due to the employee’s spouse, child, or parent being on covered active duty or call to covered active duty status as a member of the National Guard, Reserves, or Regular Armed Forces.

When is an employer covered under FMLA?

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law that entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons. FMLA covers companies with 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in the current or previous calendar year.

Does this map include state and local sick and safe leave laws?

This map shows federal and state family and medical leave laws only. State or local paid sick and safe leave law administration refers to laws that give employees a right to short increments of time, usually accrued periodically based on hours worked and capable of being used for a variety of reasons depending on the law. This category of laws, although potentially very broad and expanding, are often referred to as “safe and sick leave laws.” See a Better Balance’s Workplace Rights Hub for more.

How do state leave laws interact with FMLA?

State leave laws often overlap and add onto FMLA, providing additional statutory pay and job protection. Most state leave laws run concurrently with FMLA.

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