WTE Paid Leave Package

Your Ultimate Guide to Paid Leave

Too many parents still don’t have access to paid leave. And for those who do, figuring out how to actually take their leave can feel impossible.

At What to Expect, we believe that every parent, everywhere, deserves access to paid leave — and more than just a few weeks of it. As our survey results show, the benefits associated with longer leaves are undeniable. Until paid leave is federally guaranteed in the U.S., we’re here to help you research your leave options with confidence. We’ll also give you the tools you need to talk to your boss — and fight for more leave for moms (and dads!) everywhere.

Hear from Heidi Murkoff, the creator of What to Expect

Table of Contents

We Surveyed 2,000 Women About Paid Leave, and Here’s What They Said 6 in 10 Moms Find Paid Leave Confusing — We’re Here to Help How to Advocate for More Paid Leave for All Parents

We Surveyed 2,000 Women About Paid Leave, and Here’s What They Said

Here’s How Much Leave Parents *Actually* Need

Moms Lose $9,500 by Taking Maternity Leave

I Used GoFundMe to Pay for My Maternity Leave

Read Bianca’s story

6 in 10 Moms Find Paid Leave Confusing — We’re Here to Help

5 Things We All Need to Unlearn About Maternity Leave

You'll need to return to work when you're cleared by your doctor.

You should tell your employer you're pregnant after 12 weeks.

Your employer will tell you about all of the leave you're entitled to.

You don't need to make a plan for your work when you're on leave.

Fighting for more time off is too much of a hassle to be worthwhile.

Read Karla's story

Hiring a Parental Leave Consultant Was the Best $300 I Ever Spent

of moms are concerned about their job security after maternity leave.

Read Jennifer's story

I Was Laid Off on Maternity Leave ... Twice

Asking Your Boss for Leave the Right Way Can Help Protect Your Job

Get a script for telling your boss your big news — complete with tips from an employment lawyer on key phrases to include.

Read the full scripts

If you’re pregnant Read the script

If you're a non-birthing parent Read the script

If you don't have rights to any leave Read the script

Read Patrick's story

I Fought for Better Paternity Leave and Won

How to Decode Parental Leave Lingo

Here's an essential glossary for navigating all of your leave paperwork.

Family and Medical Leave Act Maternity and paternity leave Short-term disability Family or bonding leave

What to Know About Parental Leave if:

You Work for a Small Company

You're a Non-Birthing Parent

You're a Single Parent

You're Self-Employed

of moms report experiencing a pregnancy loss.

69% of them say they didn't get enough time off following their loss.

Read Maura's story

I Convinced My Company to Give Me Pregnancy Loss Leave After My Miscarriage

How to Advocate for More Paid Leave for All Parents

of moms agree they didn't get the time off they needed to recover before returning to work.

say they would contact someone in order to advocate for better paid leave policies.

Nearly 8 in 10

If you're among them, visit the What to Expect Project to contact your representatives and let them know why passing a law to guarantee paid family leave is so important to you and your community.

You Work for a Small Company

Unfortunately, FMLA (the Family and Medical Leave Act) only applies if you work for a company with at least 50 employees in a 75-mile radius. If you work for a company that’s smaller than that, you’ll want to read this advice.

You're a Non-Birthing Parent

When you don’t give birth, you aren’t eligible for short-term disability. But you still might qualify for family or bonding leave, as well as a few other options.

You’re Self-Employed

Sometimes, you can opt to pay into a short-term disability program, depending on how your business is set up. But otherwise, it’ll be on you to decide how long you want your leave to be — and how to fund it.

You’re a Single Parent

When you’re the sole caregiver for your baby, it’s extra-important to make sure you’re taking advantage of any and all leave possible. You might have to get a little creative, but these tips should help.

Family and Medical Leave Act

Also known as FMLA, the Family and Medical Leave Act is a federal law that lets you take 12 weeks of unpaid time off for certain family medical reasons, such as a child's birth, adoption or foster placement. Not every parent is eligible, though.

Maternity and paternity leave

These aren't legal terms, but you probably hear (and use) them all the time. Your maternity or paternity leave is usually made up of chunks of short-term disability leave and other types of leave, such as regular old sick days.

Short-term disability

Short-term disability is a type of paid leave you can take to recover from a medical condition, including some pregnancy complications and childbirth. It typically overlaps with FMLA and helps pay for some of that time off.

Family or bonding leave

This leave is meant to give you time to bond with your baby. It can be paid or unpaid, depending on your state's laws. Eligible new parents can take bonding or family leave to care for a new child, whether or not they were the one who gave birth.

If you're among them, visit the What to Expect Project to contact your representatives and let them know why passing a law to guarantee paid family leaveis so important to you and your community.