The dismal state of paid — and unpaid — leave in America

This week marks the 30th anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act, which guarantees most workers 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a child, a sick family member, or themselves, if they fall ill.

The Family and Medical Leave Act, also known as FMLA, was passed in 1993 and was a revolutionary policy: Until then, workers had no guaranteed protections if they needed time off after having a baby or to recover from an illness. That legislation, however, still left out millions of workers, including part-time employees and...