Those first few months are so important for getting to know each other and adjusting to your growing family. Sadly, in the United States, a quarter of new moms go back to work just two weeks after giving birth, at which point their bodies aren’t even healed. Many dads aren’t able to take any time away from work to bond. These parents must make the excruciating choice to forgo those early weeks and months with their new addition in order to return to work so they can pay the bills. Shockingly, only a handful of countries around the world do not have national paid parental leave policies, and the United States is one of them. Plus, the United States is the only high-income country without a national paid parental leave policy.

Luckily, Connecticut does have a paid parental leave program – CT Paid Leave. CT Paid Leave allows both parents to receive paid leave benefits for up to 12 weeks each to bond with a new child that has entered their family through birth, adoption, or foster care. Parents may take the leave at the same time – perhaps they’d both like to receive their 12 weeks of benefits immediately after the child’s birth, adoption, or placement in their home for foster care. However, in some cases one parent – usually the birthing parent – will take their leave and receive their benefits immediately, and then once they return to work, the other parent will use their leave. In this way, parents can access a full 24 weeks between them (12 weeks each) to bond with their child. Whether the child joins your family through birth, adoption, or foster care, the bonding leave must be taken within the 12 months after the child’s birth, adoption, or placement in your home.

In the case of adoption or foster care, parents can also receive paid leave benefits for certain activities that may need to occur before the adoption or foster care placement can be finalized. These activities might include required counseling sessions, travel to different localities, or court proceedings. As with the birth of a biological child, both parents may receive up to 12 weeks of benefits to bond with their newly adopted or newly placed foster child.

We advise expectant parents to apply for CT Paid Leave benefits for bonding leave 30 days before the child’s expected due date. Additionally, a worker may also be able to receive an additional 2 weeks during their pregnancy for things such as pre-natal appointments or incapacitation.

It is important to remember that a worker must apply directly to their employer for job protected leave pursuant to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), in addition to CT Paid Leave. To begin an application for CT Paid Leave benefits, visit ctpaidleave.org or call (877)499-8606.

The benefits of bonding time for both mothers and fathers are well documented – outcomes include lower infant mortality rates, better mental health and decreased risk of postpartum depression, increased rates of breastfeeding, greater rates of immunization, and even an increase in gender equality when fathers can be more active participants in caregiving. Until the United States has a national paid leave policy, we are glad that CT Paid Leave can help workers in Connecticut when they celebrate the joyous occasion of welcoming a new child into their family and home.

This article was written by Jessica Vargas, CT Paid Leave Authority’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer.