Paid leave · Ohio
Ohio paid family leave: what new parents get (2026)
Ohio has no state paid family leave program, so new parents there get no state pay to bond with a baby in 2026. Employers with 4 or more workers must give the birth parent a reasonable childbearing leave and the job back. Twelve unpaid weeks at the Ohio median household income come to about $16,664.
Your options in Ohio
| State paid family leave | None in Ohio. Thirteen states and DC have programs (U.S. Department of Labor); see the state list. |
|---|---|
| Federal FMLA | Up to 12 weeks unpaid, job-protected, with health insurance kept, for an Ohio worker whose employer has 50+ employees within 75 miles, after 12 months and 1,250 hours there. U.S. Department of Labor |
| State leave law | Ohio Civil Rights Commission rule (Ohio Adm. Code 4112-5-05(G)): employers with 4 or more employees; a reasonable period for childbearing, then your job or one of like status and pay back; unpaid. Covers the birth parent's childbearing leave. Official text |
| State paid sick leave | No statewide paid sick leave law for private employers in Ohio. |
| Disability pay for the birth | No state disability program in Ohio. Short-term disability insurance pays during birth recovery only if your employer offers it or you bought a policy before the pregnancy; check your benefits. |
| Tax help | 2026 Child Tax Credit of $2,200 per child, the dependent care FSA and the care credit: baby tax benefits for 2026. |
What unpaid leave costs in Ohio
The median household in Ohio earned $72,212 in 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 1-year, table B19013), so 12 weeks without that income is about $16,664. Your own loss depends on your pay and whether a partner keeps working. After leave, a full-time infant spot at an Ohio child care center averaged $13,780 a year: child care costs in Ohio. Put your own pay into the baby budget calculator for Ohio to see the full first year.
Birth-parent totals in the states that do pay are on paid maternity leave by state.
Other help in Ohio: postpartum Medicaid coverage in Ohio and the WIC income limits for pregnancy and the first year.
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor (FMLA), state law.
Last verified October 6, 2026 against official sources: U.S. Department of Labor (FMLA), state law.
Cite this page: This Mom, “Ohio Paid Family Leave (2026)”, thismom.com/paid-family-leave/ohio/ (updated ). Data free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with a link to the page.