When a newborn is admitted to neonatal intensive care units, parents often spend days and nights and weeks and months away from work, virtually living at the hospital as they monitor the status of their fragile baby.
With federal data showing NICU admissions on the rise, a growing movement aims to establish paid leave for those babies’ parents.
In January, Colorado became the first state to adopt paid parental leave for parents with newborns in the ICU. Now, Illinois is taking up a similar approach, and it’s just the beginning for the growing number of NICU parents.
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Colorado and Illinois lead the charge
Beginning on Jan. 1, Colorado parents whose infants were admitted to a neonatal unit or a higher level of care became eligible for an additional 12 weeks of leave. It can be applied on top of the 12-week parental leave under the state’s family and medical leave program, allowing parents more time off to care for and be with their baby.
It applies not only to biological parents, but also to foster parents, step-parents and adoptive parents.
Next month, Illinois will become the second state to address NICU parents, but it’s taking a more modest approach.
In June, the state will officially adopt a policy guaranteeing NICU parents 10 to 20 days of unpaid leave. The length of time varies based on the size of the company, and will be available to all employees regardless of length of employment or whether they work full time or part time.
Federal push for NICU leave
At the federal level, Rep. Brittany Pettersen, D-Colo., is drafting a bill that would provide up to 12 weeks of NICU leave in addition to the 12 weeks of parental leave available under the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
And while the U.S. does not mandate paid parental leave at the federal level, the FMLA entitles eligible workers nationwide to take unpaid leave for family and medical reasons.
Whether a federal bill would pass remains unclear. Colorado’s bill passed with mostly Democratic support, with few Republicans backing the proposal. Illinois’ more modest bill, however, had overwhelming bipartisan support, according to The Associated Press.
A growing need
If approved by Congress, the additional weeks could benefit many Americans, as the U.S. is seeing an increase in NICU admissions.
According to data from the National Center for Health Statistics, the percentage of infants admitted to the NICU in the U.S. rose from 8.7% in 2016 to 9.8% in 2023. In other words, nearly one in 10 infants is admitted to an NICU.
Numbers increased across all maternal age groups and races, and in almost every state, resulting in parents needing to spend more time at the hospital and away from work.
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