Benefits

The Evolution of Paid Leave

As the idea of the modern family evolves into a broad spectrum of two-income households, single parents, and a million variations in between, there is an increasing national need for benefits that support better work-life balance. Many cities have acted fast to pass comprehensive paid leave legislation, but for some localities, questions remain around exactly how these laws will be paid for, implemented, and enforced.

Most of these new laws provide extensive provisions around parental leave (after the birth or adoption of a child), as well as caretaker leave for family members with a serious medical illness. In states where there is an actionable implementation plan in place, paid family leave will be jointly funded by contributions from both employees and employers. Several of these plans go into effect next year and have the potential to set off national paid leave reform.

We’ve rounded up the evolution of paid leave policies so far:

New and improved paid leave legislation is sweeping the nation, so if your locality has yet to be impacted, now is the time to plan ahead. Revisit your company’s family leave policies to make sure you’re prepared for future changes.