Identifying the Family, Job, and Workplace Characteristics of Employees Who Use Work‐Family Benefits*

Abstract

A contextual effects perspective is used to identify family, job, and workplace characteristics associated with the use of work‐family benefits by 527 employees in 83 businesses. Parents of dependent children are no more likely than other employees to use benefits but particular family problems predict female employee use of paid leave and mental health benefits. Workplace size, sector, and culture are better predictors of employee use than are employee job characteristics.