{"id":357738,"date":"2020-01-08T10:49:14","date_gmt":"2020-01-08T15:49:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/employment\/family-medical-leave\/paid-parental-leave-in-the-u-s-vs-other-developed-countries.html"},"modified":"2023-01-31T10:34:41","modified_gmt":"2023-01-31T15:34:41","slug":"paid-parental-leave-in-the-u-s-vs-other-developed-countries","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/employment\/family-medical-leave\/paid-parental-leave-in-the-u-s-vs-other-developed-countries.html","title":{"rendered":"Paid Parental Leave in the U.S. vs. Other Developed Countries"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Paid Parental Leave in the U.S. vs. Other Developed Countries<\/h1>\n
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\n By FindLaw Staff<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Chris Meyers, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Nearly all developed countries throughout the world have a national policy that provides new parents with paid time off to care for and bond with their children. The United States is not one of them. In fact, the U.S. is the only country classified by the World Bank as high-income that does not have paid maternity leave.<\/p>\r\n

However, the issue of paid parental leave has been gaining momentum on both the state and national levels; several states have created their own paid parental leave programs, and new federal law provides government workers with 12 weeks of paid time off after having, adopting, or fostering children.<\/p>\r\n

Many Democratic and Republican lawmakers say they support paid parental leave, as do a majority of Americans<\/a>. However, opinions vary greatly on how paid parental leave should be funded,  an issue politicians and advocates have been debating for years.<\/p>\r\n

To help you get up to speed on the topic, this article addresses frequently asked questions on:<\/p>\r\n