Tiny patients, big fight: NICU parents win leave in 2 states and push for more
Summary
Two U.S. states, Colorado and Illinois, have passed laws giving parents extra time off work when their newborns need care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Advocates are now pushing for a federal law to provide similar leave rights across the country.Key Facts
- Olivia White was born prematurely at 29 weeks and needed NICU care.
- Her parents, Marlon and Farra Lanzer-White, worked while their baby was in intensive care to save leave time.
- Colorado became the first state to offer up to 12 weeks of paid NICU leave in addition to regular parental leave.
- Illinois passed a law granting 10 to 20 days of unpaid NICU leave starting soon.
- Advocates want NICU leave added to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
- The proposed federal bill would provide up to 12 weeks of NICU leave on top of existing FMLA leave.
- Supporters see potential bipartisan agreement on the issue.
- The U.S. has no federal paid family leave law, and many workers cannot afford unpaid leave.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
