2026 Paid Leave Benchmark Report
2026 Paid leave benchmark report
Dive into industry benchmarks for paid leave policies through Cocoon's comprehensive analysis of 250+ venture-backed companies. Our data has detailed insights into parental leave, medical leave, and caregiver leave trends across company sizes and sectors. Updated March 2026.
Policy trends
Median leave policies have remained flat after a surge following COVID
Our latest data shows leave policies holding steady since their post-pandemic expansion, reflecting their new status as a core benefit rather than a perk.
16 weeks
Median paid parental leave for birthing parents
12 weeks
Median paid parental leave for non-birthing parents
6 weeks
Median paid medical and caregiver leave for employees
Jump to: Parental leave • Medical leave • Caregiver leave
"Now, more than ever, employers are recognizing the importance of supporting their employees. Life doesn’t stop when you get to work and investing in these policies shows your employees that you’re thinking about their wellbeing and their experience."
Hebba Youssef, Founder & Creator of I Hate it Here and Chief People Officer | Workweek
Parental leave
81% of employers in our dataset offer paid parental leave
Because there’s no national paid leave program, employers are stepping up to fill the gaps for employees. The number of companies providing paid parental leave continues to climb, and access among employees is still low, but expanding.
Most industries offer significantly more leave for birthing parents
The gap between birthing and non-birthing leave is largest in Capital Markets, with a 10 week difference
Paid leave for birthing parents is up 23% since 2021, from 13 to 16 weeks. Paid leave for non-birthing parents is up 22% since 2021, from 9.8 to 12 weeks.
Most companies prioritize early access to paid parental leave
Over half (59%) of companies offer access to paid parental leave on day one of employment. Less than 1 in 10 companies (9%) require employees to wait more than a year.
Mid-size companies offer the highest maximum leave for both birthing and non-birthing parents
The maximum amount of leave varies significantly by company size, but there are generally a wider range of options for birthing parents.
Employers who offer paid parental leave have a median employee tenure that’s 20% longer than employers who don’t offer paid leave
Few companies offer less than 6 weeks of paid parental leave
The most common birthing parent policy is 12 weeks, followed closely by 16 weeks.
See where you stand
Benchmark your leave policies
Enter your company's paid leave policies for parental, medical, and caregiver leave and we'll show where you land amongst our dataset
"Even as budgets are under increased scrutiny, employers are recognizing that the cost of offering paid leave is far less than the cost of replacing employees (which can range from 0.5-2x their salary) who leave because they didn't get the support they needed."
Shelby Wolpa, People Leader and Founder | Shelby Wolpa Consulting
Medical leave
42% of employers in our dataset offer paid medical leave
Despite medical leave being the top reason for FMLA leave, paid medical leave policies haven't kept pace with the expansion of parental benefits—leaving many employees to navigate health challenges without pay.
Healthcare-related industries tend to offer more medical leave
In addition, Construction and Engineering and Internet and Software Services all offer more than the overall median of six weeks.
Though the median offering for medical leave lags behind parental leave, it has increased by 76% in the last two years, from 3.4 weeks to 6 weeks.
The majority don't have a tenure requirement for medical leave
3 out of 4 employers give their employees access to paid medical leave within 3 months of employment.
Mid-size companies offer the most generous medical leave policies
Larger companies tend to have more variable policies, while mid-size companies may be competing for talent with more generous maximum policies.
Almost half (49%) of companies offer more than the median 6 weeks
Some companies come in much lower, offering between one to three weeks of medical leave. This may be caused by industries with intense operational demands.
"Companies are recognizing that we must provide paid leave for a variety of scenarios. Companies that are looking at their leave programs through an empathetic and inclusive lens will undoubtedly benefit from higher rates of engagement and retention."
Laura Hammond, People Leader and Founder | The People People
Caregiver leave
24% of employers in our dataset offer paid caregiver leave
While our data shows caregiver leave offerings holding steady, the need has never been more pressing—especially for the sandwich generation juggling kids, aging parents, and careers.
Competitive industries are leading the way on paid caregiver leave
Pharmaceuticals and Construction and Engineering offer paid caregiver leave policies well above the median of 6 weeks.
Nearly one out of every four of the companies in our dataset offer paid caregiver leave to their employees, up 15% from last year's report.
Most companies offer paid caregiver leave on day 1
But nearly 1 in 5 employers do make employee wait 12+ months for access to paid leave.
Smaller companies offer some of the most generous caregiver leave policies
Larger companies in this dataset max out on offerings at 12 weeks of paid caregiver leave.
Most companies offer between 4 to 6 weeks of caregiver leave
There's a slight spike in offerings 12 weeks as well, but caregiver leave continues to match the median medical leave offering.
Offering paid leave may cost less than you think
Calculate the total cost of a paid leave program with Cocoon's new tool
The impact of paid leave
Paid leave pays off
The data shows paid leave isn't just good for employees—it drives retention, productivity, and talent attraction. Smart companies are finding ways to build robust leave policies that work within their resources. If you're ready to level up your leave policies, we've got you covered:
Explore the current patchwork of state leave laws to see how a comprehensive employer policy can fill in the gaps.
Build your internal business case for paid leave with our cost analysis tool that shows the ROI of paid leave.