Doctors as Advocates for Family Leave More than 30 million families are shouldering the significant health care demands of an ill loved one. Some families are fortunate enough to live in one of the handful of states like California or cities like East Orange, N.J., that have paid family leave or earned sick time laws that allow workers to earn a portion of their pay while taking time off to address the health needs of a family member. Most families, however, must rely on the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act, a law that guarantees 12 weeks of parental or sick leave but covers little more than half of all workers and does not include pay.