What a new father can actually collect in the U.S.
There is no federal paid paternity leave. The Family and Medical Leave Act (29 U.S.C. 2612) gives eligible employees up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave to bond with a new child, but that leave is unpaid, and it only covers workers who have been with a covered employer for 12 months and 1,250 hours. Pay, when it exists, comes from a state paid family leave program or an employer policy.
Enter your average weekly wage, your state's wage replacement percentage, its weekly benefit cap and the number of paid weeks available. The tool applies the cap, totals the paid portion, and shows how many of your 12 FMLA weeks would remain unpaid if you take only the paid weeks.
Basis: FMLA entitlement is set by 29 U.S.C. 2612(a)(1); paid benefits come from state statutes such as California's Paid Family Leave, New York PFL, New Jersey FLI, Washington PFML and Massachusetts PFML. Rates, caps and durations are reset annually - the figures you enter should be your state's for September 2026. Most states still have no paid program at all.
This calculator is for reference only and is not legal advice. Eligibility, waiting periods and coordination with employer paid leave differ by program. Consult your state agency or a licensed employment attorney about your specific situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. FMLA leave is unpaid job-protected leave, and no federal statute requires an employer to pay a father during bonding leave. Paid benefits exist only where a state program or an employer policy provides them.
Usually yes. Most employers designate state paid family leave weeks as FMLA leave concurrently, so the paid weeks count against the same 12-week entitlement rather than adding to it.