Wondering about parental leave and how to get paid? You’re not alone. I thought I had it figured out and then learned I missed out on 12 weeks of leave and thousands of dollars of pay. Let’s make sure this doesn’t happen to you.
Navigating parental leave in the U.S. can be confusing and frustrating (don’t even get us started on the lack of federal paid leave). But with the right information and some strategic planning, you can take full advantage of the programs available and make sure you’re not leaving any money or time on the table.
Parental Leave Pay Broken Down
I went ahead and broke it dow to four main ways to get paid while on parental leave:
State-Sponsored Paid Leave
As of now, 11 states plus Washington D.C. offer paid family leave. These programs vary by location, with different rules around eligibility, benefit amounts, and how long you can take off.
The states currently offering paid leave include California, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Washington, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Connecticut, Oregon, Colorado, Delaware, and Washington DC (with more states joining in 2026). If you live in one of these states, make sure to look into the details like how much pay they provide, how many weeks of pay they provide, when to apply, and if you can extend it if you have any postpartum complications. For example, in CA, you don’t even apply before you go on leave, you can start leave at 36 weeks pregnant, and you can extend it for up to 52 weeks if you have a postpartum complication.
2. Employer-Sponsored Paid Leave
Only about 25% of employers in the U.S. offer paid parental leave, but if yours does, that’s great news. Policies vary wildly, so make sure you read the fine print:
Is it available to all parents or only birthing parents?
Do you need to meet any eligibility requirements?
How does it integrate with other benefits like state leave or disability?
Understanding your company’s policy is key to strategically stacking all the paid leave you qualify for.
3. Short-Term Disability Insurance (STD)
If you’re pregnant and employed, there’s a chance you may qualify for short-term disability insurance through your employer or a private plan. STD can cover a portion of your income (usually 60–80%) for a set number of weeks following childbirth, typically 6–8 weeks, depending on delivery type.
But the most important piece of fine print is most plans require you to enroll before you’re pregnant. So if you’re planning ahead, this can be a helpful benefit to have in place and can supplement your state paid leave since they don’t pay 100% of your income.
4. Paid Time Off (PTO), Vacation, or Sick Leave
If your job doesn’t offer paid leave, or your benefits don’t cover the full duration of your time off—you can often use saved PTO, vacation, or sick days to help cover the gap.You can use these days to supplement your other paid leave options so you make 100% of your normal salary or you can stack them on before or after your other paid leave.
Pro tip: Keep a few days in reserve if you can. Babies get sick. Parents get sick. You’ll be glad you did.
