Whitney Phinney, from Centennial, Colorado, is one among many who struggle with balancing parenting and career responsibilities. Working for a company with over 50 employees, US policy only allows for 12 weeks of unpaid leave a year for parents of newborn or newly adopted children. While 13 states and the District of Columbia have mandated paid family leave systems, and eight others offer voluntary private insurance-based leave, this is not a nationwide policy.

Representative Lisa Subeck from Wisconsin described the US as an outlier in this regard, being one of very few countries not guaranteeing paid leave for new parents. Her statement was made in support of a bill proposing a paid family and medical leave insurance program in Wisconsin.

In the US, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) mandates 12 weeks annual unpaid leave for parents of newborn or newly adopted children who work for a company with more than 50 employees. However, this act only covers unpaid leave, without a provision for paid leave. The Federal Employee Paid Leave Act of 2019 does provide paid parental leave benefits for most federal civilian employees. Meanwhile, 13 states along with the District of Columbia have mandatory paid family leave systems in place, and eight other states have voluntary private insurance programs for paid family leave.

Many companies in the US do provide paid leave voluntarily, without legal obligation. Statistical data in 2023 showed that between 27% and 30% of US workers were provided paid family leave by their employers.

According to a 2024 report by Velocity Global, the US sets itself apart as an outlier among global nations due to the absence of federal compensation guarantees for maternity leave. Only four other countries – Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau and Papua New Guinea – share this with the US.

In conclusion, while the US offers no federal law for guaranteed paid leave, many states and private companies do so independently. Consequently, the US remains one of the very few countries without mandated paid leave, making Lisa Subeck’s claim valid and rated as true.

In order to discuss or clarify such matters related to family leave and employment policies, one might need to contact relevant organizations. If you are in California and you need to discuss issues related to family leave, you can contact the Employment Development Department (EDD). Eddcaller.com is the resource to make this interaction easier.