111 Iowa L. Rev. 329 (2025)
Abstract
The United States lags behind other developed nations for maternal health outcomes, especially for maternal mortality rates. There are a variety of factors that are thought to contribute to these substandard maternal health outcomes, including a lack of access to paid maternity leave. In recent years, many states have adopted paid family and medical leave (“PFML”) programs, which help expand access to paid maternity leave. In contrast to mandatory PFML programs, New Hampshire and Vermont recently enacted voluntary PFML programs in which employers and individual workers can purchase PFML benefits at a low cost through private insurance companies. This Note argues that Iowa should adopt a voluntary PFML program modeled after those used by Vermont and New Hampshire—with certain modifications—because it will provide all Iowa workers with access to paid leave while balancing various other interests across the state. In turn, the increased access to paid leave will help serve as a partial solution to the adverse maternal health outcomes currently faced by Iowa mothers.