Paid leave · Montana
Montana paid family leave: what new parents get (2026)
Montana does not run a paid family leave program, so bonding time with a new baby is unpaid unless your employer pays. Any employer must give a reasonable, job-protected leave for pregnancy and birth. At Montana's median household income, 12 unpaid weeks add up to about $17,386 of income.
Your options in Montana
| State paid family leave | None in Montana. 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 a Montana 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 | Montana Maternity Leave Act (MCA 49-2-310 and 49-2-311): employers with 1 or more employees; no time-on-the-job requirement; a reasonable leave of absence for pregnancy, then your job or an equal one back; unpaid, but accrued disability or leave benefits must be paid. Covers pregnancy and birth (not adoption). Official text |
| State paid sick leave | No statewide paid sick leave law for private employers in Montana. |
| Disability pay for the birth | No state disability program in Montana. 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 Montana
The median household in Montana earned $75,340 in 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 1-year, table B19013), so 12 weeks without that income is about $17,386. Your own loss depends on your pay and whether a partner keeps working. After leave, a full-time infant spot at a Montana child care center averaged $15,080 a year: child care costs in Montana. Put your own pay into the baby budget calculator for Montana 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 Montana: postpartum Medicaid coverage in Montana 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, “Montana Paid Family Leave (2026)”, thismom.com/paid-family-leave/montana/ (updated ). Data free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with a link to the page.