Colorado is set to broaden its paid family and medical leave benefits by introducing dedicated neonatal leave for families with babies in neonatal intensive care units (NICU).
Under the state’s existing FAMLI program, new parents can receive up to 12 weeks of paid leave. Beginning in 2026, parents whose child requires NICU care will be eligible for up to an additional 12 weeks of paid time off through the state.
“If we don’t provide additional time, we’re essentially putting families in the position of choosing whether to work while they have a baby in the NICU or their baby comes home and they have to go back to work and they don’t really get that time to bond with that baby,” State Representative Yara Zokaie, whose own children spent time in the NICU, told local news outlet 9News.
Zokaie emphasized that families don’t experience the usual bonding period when a newborn is critically ill.
“You don’t really start that family bonding time when you have a sick kid,” she said. “You’re completely focused on getting that child better, and you don’t always know how long that’s going to take.”
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Dr. Jennifer Zank, medical director for the NICU at HCA HealthONE Rocky Mountain Children’s at Presbyterian St. Luke’s, also welcomed the expansion, noting the emotional strain families face during extended hospital stays.
“When families walk through the door, this is the last place they thought they would be when they head they were pregnant,” she said.
“There’s always this guilt when [NICU parents] leave the doors of our unit that you’re leaving your baby behind, and I think it’s really important that families are able to have that time with their baby, not just for their own mental health and their own feelings, but also for the baby,” Zank added. “You know there’s no one like your mom, your dad, your caregiver that is in your life that can hold you, care for you and be there for you.”
