Unlike most other wealthy nations, the U.S. does not have federally mandated paid parental leave or medical leave, deferring instead to the discretion of companies and private workplaces, as well as states, to decide these policies.
This means that wealthy corporations, where white workers are overrepresented in high-level positions, have made strides toward creating workplaces that appeal to parents.
Low-wage jobs, which are disproportionately held by Black workers and workers of color, are much less likely to implement parent-friendly policies, further stratifying already unequal workplaces.