And that time off is unpaid, unless local legislation (such as in California, New York, New Jersey or Rhode Island) or company policy has made it otherwise. London-based Barclays, for instance, announced back in June that it was allowing nonprimary caregivers among its U.S.-based staff to take up to six weeks off — with pay — after a birth, adoption or foster care placement. Increased leave, not just for parenting, is becoming more common within the financial industry as companies try to compensate for less generous pay packages.

But not only does the United States trail other countries when it comes to parental leave, within our borders some regions and industries are also behind the times.

Business sectors that traditionally provide workers with low or minimum wage — think manufacturing, agriculture, retail and hospitality, for instance — not only don't go overboard on generosity when it comes to parental leave, few of the employees within those sectors could afford to take the FMLA-mandated unpaid leave without encountering serious financial hardships.

And only 7 percent of employees within the states comprising the U.S. Census Bureau's East South Central Division — Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky — get any paid family leave at all.

While Democrats have been outspoken advocates for paid family leave to one extent or another, the issue actually made it to the Republican agenda — although not with the current candidate for president, who has proposed only child care tax breaks. But the American Action Forum, a conservative think tank, has proposed a paid parental leave program for those at the very bottom of the economic pile.

AAF's proposal, which would cut off for those with incomes above $27,990, could serve as a baby step toward providing families with the means to stay home with newborns or newly adopted children — and thus perhaps avoid some of the hazards of going back to work: higher infant mortality, increased postpartum depression, lower vaccination rates and even health problems caused by premature cessation of breastfeeding.

Great Neck, New York-based GetVoIP looked at the parental leave policies of 39 countries around the world, considering how many days (if any) are provided, how much (if any) is paid and whether maternity or paternity leave can be combined with parental leave to extend the period, if necessary. Here are the 10 best countries for parental leave:

In New Zealand, dads get 14 days of partially paid paternity leave — a benefit these runners aren't thinking about as they sprint up Baldwin Street, the world's steepest street in Dunedin, New Zealand. (AP Photo)

10th place

Maternity: Chile, 126 days of fully paid leave.

Paternity: New Zealand, 14 days of partially paid leave.

Parental: Japan, 426 days of partially paid leave that may be shared between parents.

Technically speaking, when it comes to maternity leave, Denmark and Romania must also be considered tied for 10th place, since they both also offer 126 days of fully paid leave.

The United States, for its part, finishes 36th out of 39 — fourth from the bottom — for maternity leave, since its 90 days of leave are unpaid. That is, of course, unless one is fortunate enough to work in a state or company that provides paid maternity leave. While a total of 10 countries offer 90 days of maternity leave, all but the U.S. mandate that at least part of that leave be paid. 

This Swedish infant gets to have both parents home on leave. (AP Photo)

9th place

Maternity: New Zealand, 126 days of fully paid leave.

Paternity: Australia, 14 days of partially paid leave.

Parental: Sweden,480 days of partially paid leave, minus maternity and paternity leave already taken, that may be shared between parents.

So maybe fathers don't get as much leave as mothers do in Australia — but in Sweden, fathers are mandated to take 90 days of parental leave. That could allow new moms to get a rest while dads get a chance to bond with their offspring. 

Kenyan children celebrate the new year in Uhuru Park in Nairobi; fathers get 14 days of paternity leave in Kenya. (AP Photo)

8th place

Maternity: Australia, 126 days of partially paid leave.

Paternity: Kenya, 14 days of fully paid leave.

Parental: Austria, 728 days of partially paid leave per parent.

Kenya offers paternity leave, Australia maternity leave. And Austria is quite generous when it comes to parental leave, but so are loads of other countries — especially when you consider that none of the countries that provide any parental leave at all give less than 90 days.

But 13 countries provide no parental leave at all. Among their number — the United States.

Of course, that additional leave isn't necessarily paid, so parents can't always take advantage of it. Still, among the countries that offer it, just nine don't make any provision for pay at all: Ireland, the Netherlands, Turkey, Australia, New Zealand, Egypt, Greece, France and Spain.

Chinese babies have their mother home on maternity leave for 128 days. (AP Photo)

7th place

Maternity: China, 128 days of fully paid leave.

Paternity: Spain, 14 days of fully paid leave.

Parental: Egypt, 728 days of unpaid leave for mothers only.

Egypt and Turkey (which didn't make the top 10) are perfectly willing for mothers to take additional parental leave once their maternity leave is exhausted (assuming they can afford it, of course), but not so for fathers. They'll just have to come back to work. 

If this child in Red Square is Russian, his mother was eligible for 140 days of maternity leave when he was born. (AP Photo)

6th place

Maternity: Russia, 140 days of fully paid leave.

Paternity: Portugal, 20 days of fully paid leave.

Parental: Greece, 912 days of unpaid leave per parent.

One might be surprised to see such generous provisions for maternity leave from Russia, especially since it provides no paternity leave at all. But the country is okay with generous parental leave, too — though parental leave is partially, not fully, paid.

For parents in France, parental leave can be shared between parents. (AP Photo)

5th place

Maternity: Iceland, 150 days of partially paid leave.

Paternity: Finland, 54 days of partially paid leave.

Parental: France, 1,092 days of unpaid leave that may be shared between parents.

In France — and in Turkey, too — the amount of leave is actually adjusted for single or multiple pregnancies. And being able to share parental leave has to make things at least a little easier for the new mom and dad. 

Everything's coming up roses — or tulips at this exhibition in Erfurt — in Germany, where parents may share generous parental leave. (AP Photo)

4th place

Maternity: Italy, 154 days of partially paid leave.

Paternity: Norway, 70 days of fully paid leave.

Parental: Germany, 1,092 days of partially paid leave that may be shared between parents.

Germany's generous with parental leave, although it doesn't provide paternal leave. Still, while it may not have made the top 10, its 98 days of maternity leave is fully paid. 

Mothers in the Czech Republic get 196 days of maternity leave. (AP Photo)

3rd place

Maternity: Czech Republic, 196 days of fully paid leave.

Paternity: United States, 90 days of unpaid leave (unless worker is in company or state that pays).

Parental: Spain, 1,092 days of unpaid leave per parent.

For paternity leave, the United States finishes third — although that leave is not paid, unless mandated by company policy or state law. Most countries providing paternity leave are more generous than that, providing at least partially paid leave for new fathers. 

New mothers in Ireland don't have to navigate Dublin rush hour so soon after giving birth — they get 294 days of maternity leave. (AP Photo)

2nd place

Maternity: Ireland, 294 days of partially paid leave.

Paternity: Sweden, 90 days of partially paid leave.

Parental: Czech Republic, 1,092 days of partially paid leave that may be shared between parents.

With the second most generous maternity leave policy, Ireland stands out — even if that leave isn't fully paid. But the Czech Republic, finishing second for parental leave and third for maternity leave, may take the prize overall. 

Young British women might expect that, when they become mothers, they'll have the choice to stay home with their babies for a year, as the United Kingdom offers 365 days of partially paid maternity leave. (AP Photo)

1st place

Maternity: United Kingdom, 365 days of partially paid leave.

Paternity: Iceland, 150 days of partially paid leave.

Parental: Russia, 1,092 days of partially paid leave to one parent.

The United Kingdom takes top position for length of maternity leave, even if it isn't fully paid. But a year off for a new mother is a rarity, whether paid or not