As of January 1, numerous states in the US have expanded laws for either paid or unpaid leave. This change aligns with a prevalent pattern identified by Joy Rosenquist, an employment lawyer at Littler, a firm that offers advice to employers. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, over ten states and DC now require paid family and medical leave, given that Congress has so far failed to reach a consensus on federal paid leave. However, certain states are proceeding even further.

Illinois presides at the forefront of this movement, having put into effect a Paid Leave for All legislation seen as unparalleled in its scope. According to Molly Weston Williamson, a paid leave specialist at the Center for American Progress, this law permits the benefits to be used for any reason and has fewer exceptions than comparable laws in other states. Workers in Colorado, on the other hand, now have access to paid family and medical leave benefits after being the first state to establish them through a voter initiative, a point highlighted by Weston Williamson. Another milestone is Minnesota’s newly effective ordinance for paid sick and safe time, which covers illness, care for others, and recovery from domestic or sexual abuse.

Unpaid leave has also seen new legal developments. New laws effective this year for bereavement and reproductive loss unpaid leave reflect a concurrent and emerging pattern in state legislatures, according to Glenn Jacoby, a policy associate at NCSL. Effective from January 1, California is the second state (the first being Illinois) to establish a law that specifically provides employees with the right to unpaid time off for reproductive loss, which includes miscarriage and failed adoption. Similarly, Illinois has also established discrete laws mandating unpaid leave for bereavement.

Weston Williamson believes that the push for new protections in recent years establishes that a federal paid leave policy is inevitable. She says, It’s more of a question of when, not if, . A working group of House members is expected to put forward a bipartisan framework for paid leave soon.