Paid Maternity Leave by State 2025

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Employer Obligation to Offer Paid Maternity Leave

Mandatory
Mandatory for government employees
Voluntary
State
Employer Obligation to Offer Paid Maternity Leave
Maternity Leave Eligibility Requirements
California Flag
CaliforniaMandatoryEmployees who have worked for an employer for at least 12 months, and who have 1250 hours of service during the 12 months prior to the leave
Colorado Flag
ColoradoMandatoryEmployees who earned $2,500 over the previous year for work performed in Colorado.
Connecticut Flag
ConnecticutMandatoryEmployees of covered employers, which includes almost all businesses with one or more employees working in Connecticut.
Delaware Flag
DelawareMandatoryEmployees who have been employed for at least one year and at least 1,250 hours with a single employer, who has a minimum of 10 employees.
Illinois Flag
IllinoisMandatoryAny Illinois workers
Maine Flag
MaineMandatoryNearly all employees in Maine, including full-time, part-time, temporary, and seasonal workers. Self-employed workers can opt in for coverage.
Maryland Flag
MarylandMandatoryAll Maryland employee parents of any gender, including foster and adoptive parents (full-time and part-time + private and public sector workers.)
Massachusetts Flag
MassachusettsMandatoryEmployees who meet earnings requirements, including earning at least $6,300 (rounded to the nearest hundred dollars) during the last four completed calendar quarters prior to their leave, or earning at least 30 times the weekly benefit they’re eligible to collect.
New Jersey Flag
New JerseyMandatoryAll employees. Paid through state temporary disability insurance.
New York Flag
New YorkMandatoryFull-time employees after 26 consecutive weeks of employment. Part-time employees after 175 days of employment, which do not need to be consecutive.
Oregon Flag
OregonMandatoryEmployees who work in Oregon and earned at least $1,000 in the base year prior to their leave are eligible for paid leave. Employees who work for an employer with 10 or more employees are eligible for paid sick time.
Rhode Island Flag
Rhode IslandMandatoryMost employees who work in Rhode Island (even if they live out of state), as long as they pay into the TCI fund.
Washington Flag
WashingtonMandatoryEmployees in Washington who worked 820 hours in the four quarters prior to their leave.
Iowa Flag
IowaMandatory for government employeesApplies only to government (state) employees
Alabama Flag
AlabamaVoluntary
Alaska Flag
AlaskaVoluntary
Arizona Flag
ArizonaVoluntary
Arkansas Flag
ArkansasVoluntary
Florida Flag
FloridaVoluntary
Georgia Flag
GeorgiaVoluntary
Hawaii Flag
HawaiiVoluntary
Idaho Flag
IdahoVoluntary
Indiana Flag
IndianaVoluntary
Kansas Flag
KansasVoluntary
Kentucky Flag
KentuckyVoluntary
Louisiana Flag
LouisianaVoluntary
Michigan Flag
MichiganVoluntary
Minnesota Flag
MinnesotaVoluntary
Mississippi Flag
MississippiVoluntary
Missouri Flag
MissouriVoluntary
Montana Flag
MontanaVoluntary
Nebraska Flag
NebraskaVoluntary
Nevada Flag
NevadaVoluntary
New Hampshire Flag
New HampshireVoluntaryIf the employer allows paid leave for other illnesses, it must allow the same for pregnancy.
New Mexico Flag
New MexicoVoluntary
North Carolina Flag
North CarolinaVoluntary
North Dakota Flag
North DakotaVoluntary
Ohio Flag
OhioVoluntary
Oklahoma Flag
OklahomaVoluntary
Pennsylvania Flag
PennsylvaniaVoluntary
South Carolina Flag
South CarolinaVoluntary
South Dakota Flag
South DakotaVoluntary
Tennessee Flag
TennesseeVoluntary
Texas Flag
TexasVoluntary
Utah Flag
UtahVoluntary
Vermont Flag
VermontVoluntary
Virginia Flag
VirginiaVoluntary
West Virginia Flag
West VirginiaVoluntary
Wisconsin Flag
WisconsinVoluntary
Wyoming Flag
WyomingVoluntary
  • “Mandatory” states are those in which employers are required by law to offer paid maternity leave. “Voluntary” states are those in which employers are not legally obligated to offer paid maternity leave, but may choose to do so anyway.
  • Minnesota’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Act, passed by the state legislature and signed into law by Governor Tim Walz in May 2023, was scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026, providing up to 12 weeks of paid maternity leave for bonding with a new child.
  • The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), enacted in 1993, provides eligible employees of covered employers with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for qualifying reasons such as childbirth, adoption, or caring for a newborn, but it does not mandate paid maternity leave.