During Tuesday's State of the Union address, President Barack Obama announced his plan to expand paid leave for workers, starting with the federal government. Even with three months available to them, few Americans can take that much leave without pay. And as Baby Boomers age, more and more Americans will need to provide care for elderly family members. ''[Obama] is also proposing $2 billion in new funds to encourage states to develop paid family and medical leave programs,'' Stevenson says. At the same time, Obama is using his authority over the federal workforce to extend more benefits.

Businesses that adopt paid leave policies often see positive results: A study of more than 700 firms by the Centre for Economic Performance, a London-based think tank, found that companies with work-life balance policies had higher productivity. Other research suggests that it can even boost corporate profits.

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