As of January 1st, Colorado parents with babies in the NICU have the legal right to take an extra 12 weeks of paid leave off work. Below, A Better Balance President Inimai Chettiar explains why expansions like this are critical, common-sense protections for parents that should be a priority for our lawmakers.
Giving time off work to NICU parents is a common-sense solution that should be supported by everyone across the political spectrum. Voters nationwide agree that these policies are a priority both federally and in states across the country.
When your newborn needs intensive care, being fully present is the most obvious and important thing in the world. Though they were not in the NICU, as a mother of two children who had health problems as infants, the thought of spending this stressful time worrying about being fired from my job or losing the ability to pay bills just for staying by my child’s side feels unimaginably cruel – but every year, so many NICU parents are forced to weigh going back to work with being there for their families, all because they can’t afford to take time off.
Hundreds of thousands of babies nationwide are admitted to the NICU each year. That’s thousands of parents who need support, flexibility, and understanding during what is often one of the most important times of their lives.
Colorado’s expansion to its existing paid family and medical leave program (which A Better Balance helped draft and pass) is part of a growing trend of states not only passing paid leave, but expanding these laws to make sure they cover working people’s real, human needs.
Now, NICU parents in Colorado won’t be forced to use up all of their leave when their new baby is in the NICU and will still have time to bond and care for their child once they return home.
This is a shining example of how our laws can make a world of difference in families’ health and financial stability – definitely something worth celebrating as we kick off 2026, and an important lesson in how states can step up to protect families in a bleak federal landscape.
To learn more about Colorado’s paid leave program, visit our fact sheet.