Trump reportedly to propose 6 weeks paid family leave for biological mothers, fathers, and adoptive parents


A detailed budget proposal coming from the Trump administration next week is expected to offer not just paid maternity leave for biological mothers after the birth of a child, but six weeks of paid family leave for fathers and adoptive parents as well, The Washington Post reports.
An early proposal initially floated last September would have only qualified biological mothers for paid leave, but Democrats criticized it heavily. Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, has since headed a working group on family leave and she is expected to be central to the discussions, even as the Republican Party has traditionally opposed such measures.
The proposal calls for states to individually run paid leave programs if they don't have one in place already (only California, Rhode Island, and New Jersey do, with New York and D.C. having approved measures that go into effect in 2018). "It's a major step forward, and it's better than zero, which is what parents are guaranteed now," the program director at the Institute for Women's Policy Research, Jeffrey Hayes, said. "Trump is the first Republican in the White House to talk about this, so he could get some bipartisan support."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Six weeks of paid family leave is significantly less than what is offered by most other developed countries, although as things stand now, the United States is the only developed county that does not guarantee mothers or fathers a single day of paid leave.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
George Floyd: Did Black Lives Matter fail?
Feature The momentum for change fades as the Black Lives Matter Plaza is scrubbed clean
-
National debt: Why Congress no longer cares
Feature Rising interest rates, tariffs and Trump's 'big, beautiful' bill could sent the national debt soaring
-
Why are military experts so interested in Ukraine's drone attack?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION The Zelenskyy government's massive surprise assault on Russian airfields was a decisive tactical victory — could it also be the start of a new era in autonomous warfare?
-
Crypto firm Coinbase hacked, faces SEC scrutiny
Speed Read The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been investigating whether Coinbase misstated its user numbers in past disclosures
-
Starbucks baristas strike over dress code
speed read The new uniform 'puts the burden on baristas' to buy new clothes, said a Starbucks Workers United union delegate
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores
-
Trump's China tariffs start after Canada, Mexico pauses
Speed Read The president paused his tariffs on America's closest neighbors after speaking to their leaders, but his import tax on Chinese goods has taken effect