Is The New Parental NICU Leave Enough?
04 June 2026

Is The New Parental NICU Leave Enough?

In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons

About
On June 1, Illinois’ Family Neonatal Intensive Care Leave Act went into effect. The law entitles eligible parents with babies in the NICU with up to 20 days of unpaid leave.

For more on what this new law could mean for families, In the Loop sits down with three Illinois mothers: Francennett Llamas of The Little Warriors Project, Amanda Santoro with The Little Giraffe Foundation, and Chicago resident Areli Flores.

For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.