The Landscape of Parental Leave-Taking in the United States

Federal Reserve Bank

Research

57 Pages

This paper provides new and comprehensive evidence on parental leave in the United States and on how parents there use their time in the first months of a child’s life.

Key Takeaways

Return to Work: One quarter of mothers perform at least an hour of work for pay even in the first weeks after childbirth.
Time Off: Parental leave lasts 7.2 weeks for mothers & 3 days for fathers.
Trending Lower: Despite expanding access to benefits, maternity leave has declined in recent decades.
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