The shift of paid family leave.
As parents, many of us have felt the anxiety of talking about paid family leave. How long do you actually have? Will your partner be able to take time? Will your compensation decrease? What if you need more time?
You’re not alone. Unfortunately, the United States is the only wealthy country without a guarantee of paid family leave. Other countries, guarantee anywhere from 39 weeks (Britain) to 52 weeks (Japan) to 82 weeks or more (Estonia).
One of Biden’s campaign promises was to put more funding into paid family leave for parents when they welcome a little one home. Here is what you need to know about how that promise is holding up in the United States right now.
The Build Back Better Act (BBBA)
The BBBA has already been passed by the House of Representatives and it holds the potential for the federal government to provide paid family leave and medical leave to eligible workers. While it still represents some of the lowest numbers of paid leave around the world, the four weeks (20 days) it promises are an improvement from the unpaid Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
This leave can be used all at once for parents who may have just given birth or intermittently over the course of a year. The BBBA also allows workers to take time off to care for a family member or their own ongoing health needs.
It is the first time that roughly 18.5 million people would be able to take family or medical leave to care for a new baby, an adoptive placement, care for a relative, or receive treatment for a serious health condition themselves without taking unpaid leave. Currently, 39.3% of women take unpaid maternity leave after the birth of their first child while others take disability leave or paid and unpaid sick leave.
The BBBA is important not just for women but for men too. From 2001 to 2005, only 40.2% of new dads took leave following the birth of their first child. This has now increased to 66.5%.
Why Extended Leave Matters
Taking time to bond with a newborn, heal, and adjust to this new life change is crucial for any parent. This would be difficult to do without taking an extended period of time from work.
Benefits for Families
When both parents are able to take some type of extended leave from work, it strengthens the relationship between the couple. According to recent research by McKinsey-McGill University, 90% of new fathers who took paternity leave noted improvement in their relationship with their partner.
Another study shows that paid parental leave has significant benefits to a momma's mental and physical health, giving them the time and space they need to recover from the rigors of childbirth. In fact, mothers who are worried about their economic status or income during this time are more likely to experience postpartum depression.
Other benefits of extended family leave for new parents include:
Time to build a stronger bond with the baby
Ability to provide for a newborn’s care (including those middle-of-the-night feedings)
Flexibility to adjust to shifting family structure
Benefits for Children
The benefits of having a few extra weeks to bond with your baby make a significant difference in their long-term health and wellness as well.
Increased immunization rates and well-baby checkups
More likely to be breastfed for longer durations
Received more parental care and engagement during critical periods of growth
Lower rates of low birth weight or preterm births
Fewer avoidable hospital visits
Higher success rates in education (improved graduation rates, college attendance rates and income rates following education)
If you are planning to add a new little one to your family in the coming months or years, remaining updated on the BBBA and any other new legislation can help you prepare for the changes that will come your way. At My Sweet Sleeper, we’ll help spread the word and give you tools and resources to make the transition amazing and peaceful, as it should be.
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