More Fathers Taking Paid Family Leave in States That Offer It
In US states that offer paid family leave, an increasing number of fathers are taking advantage of these benefits for new babies, with some men using the leave as much or more than mothers.
Sioux Falls, SD, October 25, 2026 —
More fathers are taking paid family leave after the arrival of a new baby in U.S. states that offer the benefit, according to the trend described. In some cases, fathers are using leave for as much time as mothers or more.
The available information points to an increase in fathers’ use of the benefit, but does not identify the states involved or specify the period over which use has risen. It also provides no figures for the number or share of fathers taking leave, and no comparison of leave durations beyond noting that some men use it as much as or more than mothers.
The information does not name a data source, explain how leave use was measured, or clarify whether the comparison refers to individual families, averages, or another measure. It also does not provide details about eligibility rules, the amount of paid leave available, or whether the reported increase applies across all states that offer the benefit. Those details were not provided.
The reported trend describes greater use of paid family leave by fathers in states where the benefit is available. Without state-level figures, dates, or further methodological detail, the scale and geographic reach of the change cannot be determined from the information provided. The available summary also does not explain why more fathers are taking leave or what effects the trend may have on families, employers, or leave programs.
Story summarized from the original created by Elly Yu on www.npr.org, see more information here.
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