Parental Leave

Parental leave covers the period of authorized absence for parents following the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child — encompassing maternity leave for birth mothers, paternity leave for fathers and non-birth parents, and increasingly gender-neutral parental leave for all parents regardless of role or gender. The trend in progressive employer policy is moving from separate, unequal maternity and paternity leave policies toward equal primary and secondary caregiver leave that decouples leave entitlement from gender — reducing the stigma for fathers taking leave, improving career equity for mothers by normalizing male leave, and providing genuine support across all family structures. Organizations offering 12 or more weeks of paid parental leave to all parents consistently report higher employer brand rankings among working parents and candidates planning families.