• Prince Harry is reportedly taking two weeks of paternity leave.
  • A growing body of evidence suggests paid leave benefits parents, kids, and businesses.
  • The US is the only country in the developed world that doesn't mandate paid maternity leave.

Prince Harry will reportedly take two weeks of paternity leave when his wife, Meghan Markle, gives birth.

Luckily for some, a few companies have taken note. At Netflix, for example, new moms and dads can take off as much time as they want during the first year after their child's birth or adoption.

Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993, qualifying American parents are guaranteed 12 weeks of family leave to care for a new child.

While the law requires companies with 50 or more employees to provide new parents with 12 weeks of leave, it doesn't require this leave to be paid. In fact, the US is the only country in the developed world that doesn't mandate paid maternity leave.

This policy is also restricted to full-time employees who have been with the company for more than a year, which, all told, applies to about 60% of workers in the US.

People who don't get paid leave often have a hard time making ends meet

"Support for motherhood shouldn't be a matter of luck; it should be a matter of course," YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki wrote in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal. "Paid maternity leave is good for mothers, families and business. America should have the good sense to join nearly every other country in providing it."

Wojcicki reported the rate at which new moms left Google fell by 50% when in 2007, the tech giant increased paid maternity leave from 12 weeks to 18 weeks. "Mothers were able to take the time they needed to bond with their babies and return to their jobs feeling confident and ready. And it's much better for Google's bottom line — to avoid costly turnover, and to retain the valued expertise, skills, and perspective of our employees who are mothers."

In 2004, California became the first state to implement a paid-family-leave policy that enabled most working Californians to receive 55% of their usual salary (up to $1,104) for a maximum of six weeks.

Since then, only New Jersey and Rhode Island have actualized similar programs. (Starting in 2020, Washington state will require employers to provide some paid parental leave.)

Paid family leave may benefit businesses

According to a report from the President's Council of Economic Advisers, more than 90% of employers affected by California's paid family-leave initiative reported either positive or no noticeable effect on profitability, turnover, and morale.

Another study, from the Center for Women and Work at Rutgers University, found that women who took advantage of New Jersey's paid-family-leave policy were far more likely to be working nine to 12 months after the birth of their child. The study also found these women to be 39% less likely to receive public assistance and 40% less likely to receive food stamps in the year following a child's birth, compared to those who didn't take any leave.

And research out of The Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in Bonn indicates higher education, IQ, and income levels in adulthood for children of mothers who used maternity leave — the biggest effect comes for children from lower-educated households. The researchers cited this as a significant discussion for policymakers to have, as it could reduce the existing gap in education and income in the US.

Paid paternity leave is important, in addition to paid maternity leave

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