Utah's parental leave policies are changing

Paid family leave is still not mandated in Utah, but new laws across the country are expanding access to benefits for expecting and new parents.

The big picture: Utah employers must offer 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid family leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act .

• Meanwhile, most countries guarantee paid maternity leave and paid paternity leave .

Why it matters: Studies have shown parental leave can lower the risk of developing postpartum depression and can provide better interactions between the birthing parent and child.

State of play: More Utah moms are going back to work less than a year after giving birth, census data released last year show.

• About 56% of Utah women who gave birth in 2022 were at work within a year, a 3% increase from 2010.
• For comparison, 67% of U.S. women who gave birth went to work less than a year later in 2022.

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 Pregnant Workers Fairness Act .

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

Zoom in: Certain local governments in Utah and school employees have paid leave laws that differ from the state.

• Salt Lake City was the first Utah city to provide paid parental leave for full-time employees in 2017.
• The Utah Legislature approved two measures this year to provide paid maternity leave for teachers to help with job retention.

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

1. Through your employer.

• Only about 27% of Americans working in the private sector have access to paid leave when they welcome a new child, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Women's Bureau.
• Companies like Utah-based DOMO provide up to 10 weeks of paid maternity leave, including the last month of pregnancy, and two weeks of parental leave.

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.

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 Utah.