On February 7, 2023, President Biden threw his support behind paid family leave in publishing a memorandum in the Federal Register, which reads: "supports a national, comprehensive paid family and medical leave program that will ensure that workers have access to paid leave to bond with a new child; care for a seriously ill loved one; deal with a loved one's military deployment; heal from the worker's own serious illness; grieve the death of a loved one; or seek safety and recover from domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking."
Sounds great, right?
However, if you read on further, the memorandum states as follows: "the heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) are encouraged to consider providing leave without pay for Federal employees, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law."
So, in all, lots of words about paid family leave, but not any greater rights to obtain paid family leave, let alone, unpaid leave, were even given.
That said, for private sector employees, at least, you have rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act and in NYS, under the Paid Family Leave.
