Time for parents to bond with and care for their babies.
The time right after a baby is born or adopted is a time of extraordinary growth, development, and connection for a family. Parents and their babies need dedicated time together to develop close, nurturing relationships that set the foundation for a child’s healthy development. They also need time to care for their child or other family members during serious illness. In the absence of a national paid leave policy, many families were left without means of financial support throughout the COVID-19 crisis, forced to choose between the income that sustains their families and caring for themselves or their loved ones. Through COVID-19 relief, Congress recognized the public health need and enacted temporary emergency paid family and medical leave. We now need a permanent national paid family and medical leave program that ensures all families can provide their babies with the care and stability necessary for a strong future.