Paid leave has gained significant support from researchers and policymakers across the political spectrum. Paid family and medical leave (PFML), which allows parents to bond with a new baby, acknowledges the important role of childbirth in women’s lives as they strive to balance work and family responsibilities. And while it benefits all families, paid leave can be particularly valuable for vulnerable populations with limited resources. Parents and other family caregivers experience psychosocial stress and opportunity costs due to the competing demands of labor market participation and household caregiving responsibilities. Paid leave can mitigate these stresses.

Another positive development associated with greater availability of paid family leave is the increased use of paid leave by fathers following the birth of a child, an area that has received relatively little attention. Recent claims data indicate that in states where paid leave programs have been implemented, men’s use of paid leave to bond with a newborn has risen in recent years. Indeed, the availability of paid leave for working men may enhance the quality and stability of couple relationships and promote father’s involvement from the early stages of a child’s life.

Figure 1:

In fact, the gender difference in paid family leave usage at the time of a child’s birth has narrowed substantially over time (see Figure 1). Analyzing data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Income and Program Participation, we see that among parents employed before the birth of their first child, women consistently use paid family or parental leave more than men nationwide. For the cohort with children born before 1994, approximately 29 percent of women utilized paid parental leave, compared to only about 4.5 percent of men. By 2014 to 2024, though, the proportion increased to roughly 33 percent for women and about 27 percent for men. The gap became much smaller (6 percentage points difference in the recent decade) relative to the 24 percentage points gap between women and men for the pre-1994 cohort. This is partly due to the increased availability of paid family leave, as well as changes in behavior.

Figure 2:

Figure 2 shows the most substantial change occurs among men. Fathers’ paid parental leave increases by approximately 22 percentage points, while mothers’ rises by less than 4 points. Meanwhile, the proportion of men not taking any leave drops by half (from 77 percent to 35 percent), compared to a modest decline among women from 16 percent to 11 percent.

Fathers also tend to use vacation or other paid leave more often at the birth of a child, while mothers more frequently take unpaid or disability leave. Over the past decades, unpaid leave has remained at 22–26 percent for women, compared to about 12 percent for men in recent years. Disability leave is also more common among women, reflecting childbirth-related complications.

States with Paid Leave Saw Most Significant Increases

In states and the District of Columbia where paid leave is widely available, the increase in usage among fathers was significantly higher than among mothers (see Figure 3). Fathers’ use of paid parental leave rose from approximately 3 percent to 32 percent, a 29-percentage point increase. In comparison, mothers’ usage increased to 41 percent, only 8 percentage points higher than the pre-1994 cohort. Additionally, men in PFML states became less likely to forgo leave, with the decline in non-use accelerating after 2014 as new state programs were introduced. Initially, about 76 percent of fathers in these states took no leave, compared to fewer than 18 percent of mothers. By 2014 to 2024, the proportion not taking leave dropped to about one-third among fathers and 10 percent among mothers.

Figure 3: 

Similar trends are observed among parents in non-PFL states, though to a lesser extent (see Figure 4). Among men, leave-taking behavior has changed quite a bit over time. The proportion of fathers taking paid family leave to bond with their baby increased from about 5 percent for those with children born before 1994 to approximately 25 percent for new fathers in the 2014–2024 cohort. In comparison, about one-third (32 percent) of fathers in PL states took paid leave in the most recent cohort. Use of unpaid leave and vacation or other types of leave also rose modestly among new fathers without access to state-wide PFL programs. Meanwhile, the share of fathers who did not take any leave declined sharply from nearly 78 percent to about 35 percent.

Figure 4:

Positive Trends Support Calls for a National Paid Leave Policy

A national paid leave program would benefit both employers and workers. It reduces turnover and has little adverse impact on productivity, while also promoting greater labor force attachment for women. It is also, as we noted in our Majority Agenda series, supported across the political spectrum. And there are good reasons to believe that the rapid growth in fathers’ leave take-up would benefit women even more in their labor market activities after childbirth.

As we observe here, much of the gender convergence occurs in states with paid leave programs. The most striking finding is that fathers in states with this policy are substantially more likely to move away from the “not taking leave” category. Although women continue to use leave at higher rates, their leave-taking behavior changes only slightly over time, both nationally and in states with these policies. Men have made significant progress in closing the historical gap.

However, expanding paid leave in more states is less about addressing gender differences and more about supporting all parents, particularly new fathers. As additional states adopt paid leave initiatives and workplace culture evolves, men may increasingly feel empowered to take leave in order to spend time with newborns regardless of geographic location. This shift could also influence social attitudes and levels of approval among state residents.