Utah's parental leave policies are changing
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Paid family leave is still not mandated in Utah, but new laws across the country are expanding access to benefits for expecting and new parents.
The big picture: Utah employers must offer 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid family leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.
- Meanwhile, most countries guarantee paid maternity leave and paid paternity leave.
Why it matters: Studies have shown parental leave can lower the risk of developing postpartum depression and can provide better interactions between the birthing parent and child.
State of play: More Utah moms are going back to work less than a year after giving birth, census data released last year show.
- About 56% of Utah women who gave birth in 2022 were at work within a year, a 3% increase from 2010.
- For comparison, 67% of U.S. women who gave birth went to work less than a year later in 2022.
The latest: Pregnant people are now entitled to "reasonable accommodations" like the ability to telework and take time off for health care appointments, thanks to the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.
- And because of the PUMP Act, breastfeeding parents are entitled to break time and a private place to pump that's not the bathroom.
Zoom in: Certain local governments in Utah and school employees have paid leave laws that differ from the state.
- Salt Lake City was the first Utah city to provide paid parental leave for full-time employees in 2017.
- The Utah Legislature approved two measures this year to provide paid maternity leave for teachers to help with job retention.
Between the lines: Without statewide requirements, there are two main ways to get wage replacement in Utah during parental leave, and they can be combined:
1. Through your employer.
- Only about 27% of Americans working in the private sector have access to paid leave when they welcome a new child, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Women's Bureau.
- Companies like Utah-based DOMO provide up to 10 weeks of paid maternity leave, including the last month of pregnancy, and two weeks of parental leave.
2. From short-term disability, if you're a birthing parent.
- Workers could have the option to purchase short-term disability insurance as an add-on before they're pregnant.
What we're watching: With paid leave laws set to go into effect in 2026 in Delaware, Maine, Maryland and Minnesota, we'll see if there's any movement in Utah.