On June 3, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 25144 into law, which will expand paid family leave for parents with infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The law addresses a gap in current parental leave policy, where families of medically fragile newborns often exhaust their leave before bringing their baby home.
“Having a newborn in the NICU is incredibly challenging, and during this time parents should not have to think about whether they can take the time off of work to care for their little one,” Governor Polis said in a statement.
The new measure builds on Colorado’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program, offering an additional 12 weeks of paid leave for parents whose newborns require hospitalization.
The push for change came from Colorado parents who had lived through the emotional and financial strain of having a baby in the NICU. One of them was Representative Yara Zokaie, who sponsored the bill and recalled the difficult choices she faced when her own son was born.
“At a time when I should’ve been fully present for him and our family, I was scrambling to make sure we could cover rent that month,” Zokaie said. “It was incredibly scary as a new parent.”
Kim Freier, owner of Spring People Solutions, a fractional HR consultancy serving small businesses and startups, and a vocal advocate for workplace wellness, says the change is long overdue.
“I’ve seen how hard it is on families,” Freier said. “For some parents, their full 12 weeks [of parental leave] is spent in the hospital. Then they go home with a medically fragile baby and are expected to return to work immediately? That doesn’t make sense.”
Though her own children did not require NICU care, Freier has supported close friends through the experience. “It’s terrifying,” she said. “To offer them even a little peace of mind, to take one thing off their plate, that’s what this law does.”
Freier added that the new law not only helps families but also provides employers, especially small businesses, with the framework to support their employees during times of crisis. “Programs like this give them the infrastructure to do right by their people,” she said.
She noted that without clear policies like this one, the burden often falls on employees to advocate for themselves, even during a health emergency. “Many parents face uncertainty about returning to work, which adds stress during an already overwhelming time,” she said.
That kind of stress can take a toll on mental health. Experts say the emotional impact of a NICU stay goes beyond hospitalization.
Rebecca Alderfer, Executive Director of the Colorado Perinatal Care Quality Collaborative (CPCQC), says families with NICU babies are especially at risk for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs).
“Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders affect at least 1 in 5 birthing people nationwide,” Alderfer said. “But among parents with infants in the NICU, those rates skyrocket to 40 to 50 percent.”
Alderfer leads CPCQC, a statewide nonprofit that works with 42 of Colorado’s 50 birthing hospitals, covering 84 percent of births, to improve maternal and infant health outcomes. She explained that NICU parents face compounding stress, from hospitalization trauma and financial pressure to the difficulty of bonding with a fragile newborn.
“These mental health challenges can affect everything, from a parent’s ability to engage with their child to how they manage work and family demands,” she said. “This bill recognizes that having a child in the NICU requires more support. Family leave helps alleviate much of the stress families face, giving them time to heal and be present.”
Nationwide, access to paid leave remains limited. Fewer than one in four U.S. workers have any form of paid family leave, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Low-wage and hourly workers are even less likely to be covered. And, the U.S. remains the only industrialized country without a national paid leave policy, making Colorado’s new law a significant step forward.
Alderfer called the legislation “an incredible thing for Colorado” and said CPCQC was proud to testify in support of it. The nonprofit will continue advocating during implementation.
“The mental health of mothers is suffering nationwide and growing more severe,” Alderfer said “This is the time to shine a light on evidence-based policy solutions that address the complex needs of parents, especially those with medically fragile children.”
The law takes effect August 6, with the expanded 12 weeks of NICU leave available for claims starting January 1, 2026. Advocates hope Colorado’s leadership will inspire other states to adopt policies that acknowledge the challenges NICU families face and provide the time and support they need to recover and thrive.
