The federal Family and Medical Leave Act gives eligible workers unpaid job-protected leave, while paid leave programs are mostly handled by states, employers, or private benefits. In 2026, a House workforce subcommittee held a hearing on paid leave approaches, and policy groups tracking state laws report that 14 states plus the District of Columbia have enacted mandatory paid family leave systems. The debate is whether the country needs a national paid leave standard, federal support for state systems, tax incentives for employers, or a continued state-by-state approach. People should not have to choose between a paycheck and caring for a newborn, a sick parent, or their own recovery. But the design matters because small employers and workers both have to live with it.