Newark, New Jersey
Al-nisa is a school paraprofessional; her husband, Gabriel, is a hospital security guard. When their infant daughter was born, neither job offered paid family leave to help with recovering from a C-section, bonding with the baby and dealing with their 5-year-old son, who has autism. But because they live in New Jersey, which has both statewide medical and family leave insurance, Al-nisa had 14 weeks and Gabriel 6 weeks with pay. Gabriel was able to help his wife and bond with the baby. A bonus: Their son blossomed from the extra time with his parents, gaining new social skills. “We even see the difference in his classroom,” Al-nisa said. “The difference between a calm spirit and stress means everything with a child with autism.”
