More from the article ...

... Why it matters: Taking time off to bond with a newborn or newly adopted child has all kinds of upsides, not just for fathers and their families, but for women in the workplace, too.

- - - Men, women and children all see positive health impacts " including reduced infant mortality rates, research finds.

How it works: Though there is no federal paid leave, 13 states and Washington, D.C., have policies.

- - - They're typically funded by payroll taxes, and pay out a certain portion of a worker's income, giving parents about 12 weeks of "bonding" leave.

- - - In most states, workers have the right to take time off, and many states offer job protection so you can't be fired while away. ...

- - - In Colorado, where leave was enacted in 2024, fathers make up half of new parents taking the time off. In Washington state, established in 2020, it's more than half.

- - - Back when California became the first state to enact paid parental leave in 2005, men comprised just 18% of those who used the benefit. Now it's 44%. New Jersey, established in 2010, has gone from 11% to 30%. ...