Baby Steps

In The NewsNew Jersey has earned a good grade from the National Partnership for Women & Families. The group?s study, ?Expecting Better: A State-by-State Analysis of Parental Leave Policies,? examined how states and the country as a whole do at helping women cope with caring for a newborn baby or a sick child.
The report, supported by Rutgers University?s Center for Women and Work, granted the Garden State a ?B? for providing parents with 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a baby. Only four states scored higher. For those who are considered temporarily disabled, which can include pregnant women and new mothers, the state partially reimburses lost wages for up to 26 weeks. This exceeds the requirements of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, which allows women to take up to 12 weeks off from work to recover from a serious health condition, including pregnancy and childbirth.
The report notes, however, that New Jersey and the nation as a whole rank far behind other nations in the benefits available to working parents.