Family and Social Policy

Paid family and medical leave

99 public statements from 2026 candidates · 1 related bill

§1The range of views

Why this matters: It decides whether you keep getting paid when you take time off for a new baby or a family illness, and who pays for that time: employers, workers or taxpayers.

Drafted by AI, then checked for neutral wording in a separate AI review. It describes the question and the main positions, not any candidate's view. Facts link to their sources.

Whether workers should be paid during time off for a new child or a serious illness; federal law guarantees some workers only unpaid leave, a federal tax credit helps employers that offer paid leave, which a 2025 law made permanent, and 13 states and Washington, DC, have passed laws creating paid leave programs.1,2,3

  1. Create a national paid leave program for all workers
  2. Expand tax credits for employers that offer paid leave, without a national requirement
  3. Keep current federal law, leaving paid leave to employers and states

These options describe policies, not people. The order is not a ranking.

§2What candidates have said

Why this matters: Statements candidates made publicly, summarized in plain words with a link to where they said it. Candidates who haven't spoken publicly on this issue aren't listed.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

Create a national paid leave program for all workers (38)

  • Amanda N. Pusczek AL-4
    Her campaign website says she supports a permanent national program guaranteeing every worker up to 12 weeks a year of paid, job-protected family and medical leave.4
  • Robb Ryerse AR-3
    His campaign website says every worker should have paid family and medical leave.5,6
  • Scott Wiener CA-11
    His campaign website says he would pass national paid family leave, building on the paid parental leave law he wrote in San Francisco.7
  • Lateefah Simon CA-12
    Her campaign website says she would establish a 12-week paid federal family and medical leave program.8
  • Jimmy Gomez CA-34
    His campaign website says he is working to make national paid family leave a reality and founded the Congressional Dads Caucus to guarantee paid family and sick leave.9,10
  • Angela Gonzales-Torres CA-34
    Her campaign website calls for a national paid family and medical leave program and universal paid sick leave.11
  • Samantha Mota CA-37
    Her campaign website calls for a national paid family leave policy with up to a year of paid leave available to both mothers and fathers.12
  • Melat Kiros CO-1
    Her platform calls for guaranteeing paid family, medical and sick leave for every worker.13
  • Rosa L. DeLauro CT-3
    Her campaign website says she is working to establish a national paid family leave program.14
  • Sarah McBride DE-AL
    Her campaign website says she is building support for the FAMILY Act to create a permanent national paid family and medical leave program.15,16
  • Angie Nixon FL Senate special
    Her campaign website says she supports paid family and medical leave for every worker in the country, guaranteed by law.17
  • Mike Sell FL-4
    His campaign's bill tracker lists him as supporting the FAMILY Act, which it says would make sure workers are paid when they take time off to care for a new baby or a sick family member.18
  • Amanda Hollowell GA-1
    Her campaign website says she supports national paid family and medical leave, including for military families, caregivers and single parents.19
  • Nikema Williams GA-5
    Her campaign website says she is fighting for a strong federal care infrastructure that includes paid family and medical leave, long-term care and support for unpaid caregivers.20,21
  • Christina Bohannan IA-1
    Her campaign website says she will work to pass a comprehensive, nationwide paid family leave law.22
  • Lindsay James IA-2
    Her campaign website says Congress must pass a comprehensive paid family and medical leave policy.23,24
  • Kelly Thompson IN-3
    Her campaign website says she would establish a national paid family and medical leave program for workers.25
  • Drew Cox IN-4
    His campaign website says he will seek to pass the Family Act, which it says would guarantee 12 weeks of paid parental leave and sick time, and the Protected Time Off Act, which would require employers to grant one hour of paid time off for every 25 hours worked.26
  • André Carson IN-7
    His campaign website says the lack of guaranteed paid leave in the U.S. must change, and lists the Healthy Families Act on paid sick time, expanding the Family and Medical Leave Act to part-time workers, and paid maternity and paternity leave among his efforts.27
  • John "Drew" Williams KY-1
    His campaign website proposes a Family Flex Leave Act creating a paid leave structure for parents, including adoptive and foster parents, and a Paid Sick Days Guarantee Act requiring five paid sick days a year for all workers.28,29
  • Morgan McGarvey KY-3
    His campaign website says he supports at least four weeks of paid family leave.30
  • Lauren Jewett LA-1
    Her campaign website says she will cosponsor and vote for national paid family and medical leave legislation, such as the FAMILY Act.31
  • Conrad Cable LA-4
    His campaign website says it supports fair minimum standards for paid parental leave, including at least 14 weeks of paid maternity leave and at least 10 paid days for fathers or second parents, plus up to four months of shared parental leave.32
  • Katherine M. Clark MA-5
    Her campaign website lists among her accomplishments helping pass House legislation to extend paid leave to every worker, and says every worker should have benefits such as paid family leave.33
  • Peggy Flanagan MN Senate
    Her campaign website says she supports national paid family and medical leave.34
  • Ilhan Omar MN-5
    It also calls for a national paid family leave program and paid sick days for every worker.35
  • DeVelle L. Jackson MN-5
    It says he supports a nationwide standard for paid family and medical leave, with wage replacement and job protection.36
  • Fred Wellman MO-2
    His campaign website says he supports creating paid family and medical leave for all employees.37,38
  • Jordan Herrera MO-4
    His campaign website lists universal paid family leave as a national standard, along with paid maternity and paternity leave.39
  • Missi Hesketh MO-7
    Her Affordability page says she would ensure 12 weeks of paid leave, funded through a payroll insurance fund, and bar employers from firing a worker who takes it.40
  • Alma S. Adams NC-12
    Her campaign website says she supports legislation providing paid family and medical leave benefits and calls expanding and strengthening paid family leave laws the top priority on worker benefits.41,42
  • Ramon Mora Jr. NJ-2
    The same page lists universal paid family leave of one to two years, saying parents should be able to cut back on work to spend time raising their children.43
  • Ryan Michael Kelly NJ-3
    His campaign website says he supports universal paid family and parental leave.44
  • Rebecca Bennett NJ-7
    Her affordability priorities page lists passing paid family leave so that parents can balance work with caring for their children and loved ones, and her family policy one-pager says she will push for one federal standard of 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave for all workers, building on state programs such as New Jersey's.45,46
  • LaMonica R. McIver NJ-10
    Her campaign page on investing in families says all workers should be guaranteed paid leave for family and medical needs.47
  • Adam Hamawy NJ-12
    His campaign website says he will fight for a national program that gives every worker at least 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave.48
  • Winston Jordan NJ-12
    His policy platform website lists a federal standard for paid family and medical leave.49
  • Teresa Leger Fernandez NM-3
    Her campaign website says paid family leave needs to be enacted, so people can take time away from work when they have a child, get sick or have a family member deployed in the military.50

Expand tax credits for employers that offer paid leave, without a national requirement (1)

  • Jonathan Chavez GA-13
    His platform says he would expand and promote the federal paid family leave tax credit for small businesses, which it notes Congress made permanent in 2025.51

Statements that don't match one option (60)

  • Hallie Shoffner AR Senate
    Her campaign website says supporting mothers means affordable child care, paid leave and quality health care.52
  • Mai Vang CA-7
    Her campaign website says she would champion paid family leave and paid sick days.53,54
  • Connie Chan CA-11
    Her campaign website says she would create national requirements for paid sick leave, paid family leave and flexible schedules for family care for full-time wage workers, and would require maternity leave and extend leave to cover miscarriage.55,56
  • Melissa Hernandez CA-14
    Her campaign website says she supports paid family and medical leave.57
  • Aisha Wahab CA-14
    Her campaign website says she would expand paid family leave.58,59
  • Ro Khanna CA-17
    His campaign website says he cosponsors the Protected Time Off Act, which would guarantee parental leave and paid time off and give all full-time workers at least two weeks of paid family leave a year.60
  • Randy Villegas CA-22
    His campaign website says the United States should join other major countries in guaranteeing paid parental leave.61
  • Raul Ruiz CA-25
    His campaign website says he has fought to expand paid family and sick leave.62
  • Robert Garcia CA-42
    His campaign website says he fights to expand paid family leave.63
  • Nanette Diaz Barragan CA-44
    Her campaign website's 2016 Issues page calls for paid leave for parents and more workplace protections so women are not forced to choose between having a family and having a job.64
  • Joe Neguse CO-2
    His campaign website says he is advocating for paid leave.65
  • Clifton Brown CO-3
    His campaign website says he would expand paid vacation and maternity leave.66
  • Jason Crow CO-6
    His campaign website says he is working so that all workers can take sick time, parental leave or time to care for family members without financial hardship.67
  • Manny Rutinel CO-8
    His campaign website says working parents should have access to sick days and paid family and medical leave.68
  • Ned Lamont CT Governor
    His campaign website says he would strengthen paid family leave protections.69
  • Kimberly Overman FL-12
    Her campaign platform says she supports expanding paid family leave.70
  • Robert People FL-15
    His affordability plan lists paid leave under wages and income, saying he supports reforms of workers' rights, for example requirements for paid family leave.71
  • Mark Davis FL-16
    His policy platform says he supports paid family and medical leave.72
  • Nicole Locklin FL-26
    Her campaign website says she will fight for paid family and medical leave.73,74
  • Josh Turek IA Senate
    His campaign website says every Iowan should have access to paid family and medical leave.75
  • Zach Nunn IA-3
    His campaign website lists among his accomplishments his first bill passed by the House, which expanded parental leave for military parents.76
  • Sarah Trone Garriott IA-3
    Her campaign website says she wants to provide families with paid family and medical leave so everyone can take a short time off to care for themselves or a loved one without losing a paycheck or a job.77
  • Tripp Charles Hutchinson ID-2
    His platform page lists paid family leave among his commitments.78
  • La Shawn K. Ford IL-7
    His campaign website says he will expand paid family and medical leave.79
  • Jennifer Todd IL-15
    Her campaign website says she will work to expand access to paid sick time and family leave.80
  • Paul Nolley IL-16
    His campaign website lists passing Paid Family Leave legislation among the policies he supports to help working families.81
  • Cynthia (Cinde) Wirth IN-6
    Her campaign website says she supports normalizing and expanding access to paid family leave.82,83
  • Mary Allen IN-8
    Her campaign website says she will fight to ensure people have paid time off to care for their health or their loved ones.84
  • Melissa Claire Strange KY-4
    Her campaign website says she supports protecting and expanding paid family leave.85
  • Zach Dembo KY-6
    His campaign website says he supports creating incentives to reward companies that offer sufficient parental leave for their workers.86
  • Lori Loureiro Trahan MA-3
    Her campaign website lists passing and promoting paid family leave that applies equally to all genders among her priorities for women's rights and opportunity.87
  • Stephen F. Lynch MA-8
    His campaign website says he is fighting for paid leave and lists supporting legislation to improve paid family and medical leave.88,89
  • Hillary Scholten MI-3
    Her campaign website says she will continue to fight for paid family and medical leave.90
  • William Lawrence MI-7
    His campaign website says he supports a National Family Care Agenda that includes paid family leave, expanded pre-K, a re-evaluation of senior care and defending and expanding home health care options.91
  • Ray Pooley MI-9
    His campaign website says parents should be given a month off to bond with and care for their newborns.92
  • Christina Bertrand Hines MI-10
    Her health care topic page lists expanding paid family leave among her preventive care priorities.93
  • Rashida Tlaib MI-12
    Her campaign website says the Mamas’ Caucus she founded is pushing for policies including paid family and medical leave.94
  • Alani Bankhead MT Senate
    Her campaign website says she backs federal investment in paid family and medical leave.95
  • Sam Forstag MT-1
    His campaign website says he would offer federal matching grants to encourage states to pay for as much as 12 weeks of paid leave for parents of new children.96
  • Michael Dublin NC Senate
    His platform supports 12 months of paid parental leave.97
  • Ashley Bell NC-10
    Her campaign website lists among the policies she supports paid leave for sickness, family reasons, maternity and paternity, with a longer duration for each type.98
  • Lakesha Womack NC-14
    Her priorities page says her economic mobility agenda includes supporting working families with paid leave.99
  • Mark Cohen NE-3
    His campaign website criticizes the lack of a guarantee of paid family leave in the United States, and says parents of newborns and people caring for an ailing parent should not have to choose between that care and their jobs or finances.100
  • Donald Norcross NJ-1
    His campaign website says he wants women to have guaranteed paid maternity leave and lists family leave among the efforts he has supported.101,102
  • Rachel Peace NJ-4
    Her campaign website says she supports guaranteed paid family leave, with 12 weeks of paid leave for every parent after having a child.103
  • Analilia Mejia NJ-11
    Her campaign issues page says she would make paid sick leave federal law for all workers, with no exceptions, so they can care for themselves or family members.104
  • Melanie Ann Stansbury NM-1
    Her campaign website says she will work in Congress to expand paid family and medical leave.105
  • Deb Haaland NM Governor
    Her affordability plan says she would establish paid family and medical leave in New Mexico.106
  • N'Kiyla Jasmine Thomas OK Senate
    Her campaign website says she would push for paid family and medical leave.107
  • Cyndi Munson OK Governor
    Her campaign website says she would work to require paid family leave for parental and family caregiving.108
  • Robert E Brooks Sr OK Governor
    His campaign website proposes a voluntary program to help small businesses fund paid sick leave and vacation for their employees, with no business required to take part.109
  • Chris Henry OR Senate
    His platform calls for expanding paid family and medical leave, paid sick leave and affordable child care.110
  • Tina Kotek OR Governor
    Her campaign website says that while she was House speaker, Oregon passed paid family leave.111,112
  • Annie Andrews SC Senate
    Her campaign website says she would expand paid family leave.113
  • Jermaine Johnson SC Governor
    His campaign website says he would give employers incentives to offer paid family leave for fathers.114
  • Jerri Green TN Governor
    Her platform calls for expanding paid family and medical leave for parents and caregivers.115
  • Dave Seeman TN Governor
    His campaign website calls for 12 weeks of family leave.116
  • James Talarico TX Senate
    His campaign website says he would pass paid family leave legislation so workers can take time off to care for a new child or a seriously ill family member.117,118
  • David Crowley WI Governor
    His campaign website says his child care plan would include paid family leave.119
  • Rachel Fetty Anderson WV Senate
    Her campaign website says she supports programs for new parents, including paid leave and wider access to child care.120

§3Related bills

Why this matters: Bills from 2023–2026 that bear on this issue, with how Congress handled them.