Paid family leave grows in DMV, but not guaranteed

Access to paid family leave is expanding in the DMV, but the benefit isn't guaranteed for all.

Why it matters: Paid leave policies give new parents time to recover from birth and bond with their babies, while reducing financial stress on growing families.

The big picture: The U.S. guarantees 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid family leave for some employees, but doesn't have a paid federal parental leave policy.

• That means employers with 50 or more workers are required to offer qualifying employees three months off. They're just not required to pay them for it.
• Meanwhile, most countries guarantee paid parental leave .

State of play: D.C. is currently the only jurisdiction in the Washington region offering paid family leave.

• D.C. workers get up to 12 weeks to care for a new child, or 12 weeks to address a health condition or a family's health condition. They also get two weeks for prenatal care.

Maryland passed its family leave bill in 2022, but it won't go into effect until July 2026 .

• Workers will be able to take up to 12 weeks to welcome a new child, care for themselves or a family member, and prepare for a family member's deployment.

Virginia currently does not mandate paid family leave.

• A bill that would have set up a kind of unemployment insurance covering up to eight weeks of paid leave (at 80%) and administered through the Virginia Employment Commission passed the General Assembly this year but was vetoed by the governor .

Zoom in: Marylanders and Virginians can currently access paid family leave in two main ways, and they can be combined.

1. Through your employer.

• Rules vary : It could be you receive nothing ranging up to being paid for a year after birth, adoption, or foster care placement.
• Between the lines: Often employers say you must work for the company a set amount of time before you can use paid leave benefits.

2. From short-term disability, if you're a birthing parent.

• Workers could have the option to purchase short-term disability insurance as an add-on before they're pregnant.
• In Virginia, paid family leave can be offered as a type of insurance .

The latest: Pregnant people are now entitled to " reasonable accommodations ," like the ability to telework and take time off for health care appointments, thanks to the Pregnancy Workers Fairness Act , which went into effect last year.

• And because of the PUMP Act , breastfeeding parents are entitled to break time and a private place to pump (that's not the bathroom).