What to know about paid parental leave in Arkansas

Paid family leave is still not mandated in Arkansas, but new laws in other states are expanding access to benefits for expecting and new parents.

The big picture: The U.S. offers 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid family leave for some employees but does not have a paid federal parental leave policy.

• Meanwhile, most countries guarantee paid maternity leave, as well as paid paternity leave .

The latest: Pregnant people are now entitled to "reasonable accommodations" — like working remotely and taking time off for health care appointments — thanks to the Pregnancy Workers Fairness Act .

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

Between the lines: Without statewide requirements, there are two main ways to get wage replacement in Arkansas during parental leave, and they can be combined:

1. Through your employer.
2. Only about 27% of Americans working in the private sector have access to paid family leave when they welcome a new child, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Women's Bureau.
3. In Arkansas, a new law allows eligible state-government employees up to 12 weeks of paid maternity leave .
4. Northwest Arkansas' largest employer, Walmart, increased its paid leave for salaried employees from six weeks to 12 last year. The University of Arkansas recently announced it would increase its paid-leave policy from four weeks to six.
5. From short-term disability , if you're a birthing parent .
6. Workers could have the option to purchase short-term disability insurance as an add-on before pregnancy.
7. There's a law in the state allowing for voluntary paid family leave insurance.

What we're watching: With paid-leave laws set to go into effect in 2026 in Delaware, Maine, Maryland and Minnesota, we'll see if there's any movement in Arkansas.

Go deeper: Six months of paid parental leave is optimal but not realistic