Healthcare Access
States with Paid Family Leave 2026
State Has Paid Fam. Leave Program
Mandatory
Mandatory (2026)
Mandatory (2027)
Mandatory/Optional
No
Voluntary
State | State Has Paid Fam. Leave Program↓ | Parental Leave | Family Leave | Medical Leave | Personal Leave | Safety Leave | Wage Coverage | Eligibility Requirements | Insurance Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | New Hampshire | Voluntary | 6-12 weeks | 6-12 weeks | 6-12 weeks | Combined | 60% | Voluntary | Private Insurance | |
 | Vermont | Voluntary | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | Combined | Private Insurance | |||
 | Alabama | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 0% | 50+, 12 mo, 1,250 hrs | Federal FMLA only | ||
 | Alaska | No | 18 weeks | 18 weeks | 18 weeks | 0% | 20+, 35 hrs/wk | Federal FMLA + AFLA | ||
 | Arizona | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 40 hrs sick | Pilot (state) | 0% | FMLA standard | Federal FMLA + paid sick |
 | Arkansas | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 0% | 50+, 12 mo, 1,250 hrs | Federal FMLA only | ||
 | Florida | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 3 days domestic violence | 0% | FMLA standard | Federal FMLA only | |
 | Georgia | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 5 days/yr (25+) | 0% | 25+ for sick provision | Federal FMLA only | |
 | Hawaii | No | 4 weeks | 4 weeks | 4 weeks | 0% | 100+ employees | Federal FMLA | ||
 | Idaho | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 0% | 50+, 12 mo, 1,250 hrs | Federal FMLA only | ||
 | Illinois | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 4-12 weeks domestic violence | 0% | FMLA standard | Federal FMLA only | |
 | Indiana | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 10 days military family | 0% | FMLA standard | Federal FMLA only | |
 | Iowa | No | 8 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 0% | FMLA standard | Federal FMLA only | ||
 | Kansas | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 8 days domestic violence | 0% | 50+, 12 mo, 1,250 hrs | Federal FMLA only | |
 | Kentucky | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 0% | 50+, 12 mo, 1,250 hrs | Federal FMLA only | ||
 | Louisiana | No | 6 weeks maternity (25+) + 12 FMLA | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 0% | 25+ for pregnancy | Federal FMLA + pregnancy | ||
 | Michigan | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 40 hrs sick (50+) | 0% | FMLA standard | Federal FMLA + paid sick | |
 | Mississippi | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 0% | 50+, 12 mo, 1,250 hrs | Federal FMLA only | ||
 | Missouri | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 0% | 50+, 12 mo, 1,250 hrs | Federal FMLA only | ||
 | Montana | No | 12 weeks + reasonable pregnancy | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 0% | FMLA + pregnancy | Federal FMLA only | ||
 | Nebraska | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 15-30 days military | 0% | 15-50+ for military | Federal FMLA + military | |
 | Nevada | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 40 hrs sick (50+) | 160 hrs domestic violence | 0% | FMLA standard | Federal FMLA + paid sick |
 | New Mexico | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 64 hrs sick/12 mo | 14 days domestic violence | 0% | FMLA standard | Federal FMLA + paid sick |
 | North Carolina | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 4 hrs school; domestic violence | 0% | 50+, 12 mo, 1,250 hrs | Federal FMLA only | |
 | North Dakota | No | 16 weeks (UFLA state) + 12 FMLA | 16 weeks | 16 weeks | 0% | State employees only | Federal FMLA | ||
 | Ohio | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 0% | 50+, 12 mo, 1,250 hrs | Federal FMLA only | ||
 | Oklahoma | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 0% | 50+, 12 mo, 1,250 hrs | Federal FMLA only | ||
 | Pennsylvania | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 0% | 50+, 12 mo, 1,250 hrs | Federal FMLA only | ||
 | South Carolina | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 0% | 50+, 12 mo, 1,250 hrs | Federal FMLA only | ||
 | South Dakota | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 0% | 50+, 12 mo, 1,250 hrs | Federal FMLA only | ||
 | Tennessee | No | Pregnancy/adoption (100+) + 12 FMLA | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 0% | 12 consecutive months | Federal FMLA + pregnancy | ||
 | Texas | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 0% | 50+, 12 mo, 1,250 hrs | Federal FMLA only | ||
 | Utah | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 0% | 50+, 12 mo, 1,250 hrs | Federal FMLA only | ||
 | Virginia | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 0% | 50+, 12 mo, 1,250 hrs | Federal FMLA only | ||
 | West Virginia | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 0% | 50+, 12 mo, 1,250 hrs | Federal FMLA only | ||
 | Wisconsin | No | 6 weeks birth/adoption | 2 weeks family | 2 weeks | Combined | 0% | Unpaid | State unpaid law | |
 | Wyoming | No | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 0% | 50+, 12 mo, 1,250 hrs | Federal FMLA only | ||
 | New Jersey | Mandatory/Optional | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | Combined | Payroll deductions | 50+, 1 yr, 1,000+ hrs | Social Insurance | ||
 | Maryland | Mandatory (2027) | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | Combined | 0.9% (0.45% each) | Benefits start 2028 | Social Insurance | |
 | Delaware | Mandatory (2026) | Employee/employer split | Contributions start 2025 | Social Insurance | |||||
 | Maine | Mandatory (2026) | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | Combined | Employee/employer split | 12 consecutive months | Social Insurance | |
 | Minnesota | Mandatory (2026) | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 20 weeks | Combined + 160 hrs sick | 1 day military | Employee/employer split | Starts January 2026 | Social Insurance |
 | California | Mandatory | 8 weeks | 8 weeks | 52 weeks | Yes | 60-70% | 12+ months, 1,250+ hrs | State Disability Insurance + PFL | |
 | Colorado | Mandatory | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | Combined | Employee/employer split | Small employers exempt | Social Insurance | |
 | Connecticut | Mandatory | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | Combined | Up to 95% | Employee contributions | Social Insurance | |
 | District of Columbia | Mandatory | 8 weeks | 6 weeks | 2 weeks | 8 weeks total | Up to 90% | Employer tax funded | Social Insurance | |
 | Massachusetts | Mandatory | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 20 weeks | 26 weeks combined | 12-26 weeks military | Up to 80% | Size-based | Social Insurance |
 | New York | Mandatory | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | Combined | 10 days military | 67% | Size-based | Private Insurance | |
 | Oregon | Mandatory | 12-16 weeks | 12-16 weeks | 12-16 weeks | Combined | Domestic violence | Employee/employer split | Small employers exempt | Social Insurance |
 | Rhode Island | Mandatory | 4-6 weeks | 4-6 weeks | 13 weeks | Combined | Up to 60% | 50+, 30+ hrs/wk, 1+ yr | Social Insurance | |
 | Washington | Mandatory | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 16-18 combined | Military family | Up to 90% | 820+ hours | Social Insurance |
- AFLA - Amended Family Leave Act
- FMLA - Family and Medical Leave Act
- PFL - Paid Family Leave
- States with “Combined” personal leave have one single leave balance that employees can use for any reason instead of having separate sick, vacation, or personal days.
- Numbers such as “50+” in the eligibility requirements indicate the number of employees an employer must have for those employees to be eligible for Federal FMLA job protection.
Paid Family Leave (PFL) A state-level program that provides partial wage replacement to workers who take time off for family, medical, or caregiving reasons.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) A federal law that guarantees eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave, but does not provide wage replacement.
Mandatory vs. Voluntary Leave Programs Mandatory programs require employer or employee participation by law, while voluntary programs allow employers or individuals to opt in.
Social Insurance Model A paid leave system funded through payroll contributions from employees, employers, or both, rather than direct employer payment.
States with Mandatory Paid Family Leave Programs
A growing number of states now guarantee paid family leave through mandatory state-run programs, offering workers income replacement during major life events such as childbirth, serious illness, or caregiving.
As of 2025 data (the most recent data available in early 2026), these states include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and the District of Columbia, with additional programs scheduled to begin in Maryland (2028), Delaware (2026), Maine (2026), and Minnesota (2026).
Most mandatory programs operate as social insurance systems, funded through payroll contributions shared by employees and employers. Leave durations typically range from 8 to 12 weeks, though some states provide longer coverage for medical leave—up to 20 weeks in Massachusetts and 52 weeks in California.
Wage replacement varies widely, from roughly 60% to as much as 95%, often scaled to favor lower-income workers. Many of these states also use combined leave models, allowing employees to draw from a single pool of paid time rather than managing separate family, medical, and personal leave balances.
Together, these programs represent the most comprehensive paid leave protections currently available in the United States.
States Without Paid Family Leave (Federal FMLA Only)
Most U.S. states do not offer a paid family leave program, meaning workers rely almost entirely on the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for job-protected time off.
Under FMLA, eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for family, medical, or caregiving needs. However, eligibility is limited to workers at employers with 50 or more employees, and only after meeting tenure and hours-worked requirements. As a result, millions of workers—especially those in small businesses, part-time roles, or lower-wage jobs—are not covered.
States such as Texas, Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and most of the South and Midwest fall into this category. While some of these states offer narrow protections—such as paid sick time, pregnancy accommodations, or domestic violence leave—none provide a universal wage-replacement benefit for family or medical leave.
A small number of states sit between these two models. New Hampshire and Vermont, for example, offer voluntary paid family leave programs, typically through private insurance, giving employers the option—but not the obligation—to provide paid coverage.
The divide is clear: in states without paid family leave, taking time off often means sacrificing income, even during major life events.
