Megan Holz, a senior project architect, and her husband George, an energy consultant, are among the many parents planning to avail of paid family leave. Various programs exist to support parents on maternity or paternity leave. These typically include disability insurance, federal Family Medical Leave, New York State Paid Family Leave, earned paid time off, and any additional pay or time-off as per specific company policies. As soon as pregnancy is disclosed to employers, expectant parents should consult with their human resources department to ascertain their entitlements and plan accordingly, says Jami Schultz, Canon U.S.A’s Senior Director of Human Resources.

Liz Uzzo, Chief Human Resource Officer for H2M architects + engineers, has observed an increase in men availing family leave since the introduction of the New York Paid Family Leave Act in 2018. According to Uzzo, many parents attempt to avoid day care in the child’s first year by coordinating their leaves to enable prolonged parental presence at home.

For more detailed information related to your individual case, it’s recommended to contact your employer or the appropriate institution directly. For instance, if you need to reach out to the Employment Development Department (EDD) in California, you can check out eddcaller.com. This website provides resources on how to get through to EDD, including customer service contacts, guides on how to speak to a live person at EDD, and much more. In the world of paid family leaves and disability insurance, having the right information at the right time can make all the difference.