Family Leave Research Articles

Paid Family and Medical Leave: Policy Statement.

Paid family and medical leave (PFML) helps parents balance the competing obligations of work, personal illness, and family. PFML is needed when adding a new member of the family or when a family member or individual becomes acutely or chronically ill. The United States lacks universally available PFML, despite the benefits for child and family health and well-being. Universally available PFML is a key component of improving the health of children and families and is critically needed in the United States.

The Impact of Leave Length on After Leave Experience under Family and Medical Leave Policy in the U.S.

This research examines employee experiences under the Family and Medical Leave Policy in the United States and to what extent the length of leave affects the post-leave employment experience. The data source comes from the Family Medical Leave Act Employee Survey, which was conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor in 2018. This research further investigates whether females are more likely to be discriminated against than males and whether the eligibility of FMLA would decrease the possibility of being treated differently. Three hypotheses were 1) the longer leave one takes, the higher the possibility of being treated differently; 2) females have a higher possibility than males of being treated differently; and 3) FMLA-eligible employees have less possibility than their counterparts of being treated differently. This study found that longer leave length is associated with a higher possibility of being treated differently. Another important finding is that females have a higher possibility than males of being treated differently after controlling for other factors. Also, this study suggests that there is no significant difference between FMLA eligible groups and non-FMLA eligible groups. This study discussed policy implications regarding the length of most recent leave and gender, including the need to expand the length and types of family leave coverage, the need for government-mandated paid leave, and approaches for increasing employee knowledge of leave rights.

Paid Family Leave and Prevention of Acute Respiratory Infections in Young Infants

Acute respiratory tract infections are the leading cause of emergency department visits and hospitalizations in US children, with highest risks in the first 2 months after birth. Out-of-home childcare settings increase the spread of respiratory tract infections. The study team hypothesized that access to state-paid family leave could reduce acute care encounters (hospital admissions or emergency department visits) for respiratory tract infections in young infants by reducing out-of-home childcare transmissions. To determine if the 2018 introduction of paid family leave in New York state reduced acute care encounters for respiratory tract infections in infants 8 weeks or younger. This population-based study of acute care encounters took place in New York state and New England control states (Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont) from October 2015 through February 2020. Participants included infants aged 8 weeks or younger. Controlled time series analysis using Poisson regression was used to estimate the impact of paid family leave on acute care encounters for respiratory tract infections, comparing observed counts during respiratory virus season (October through March) with those predicted in the absence of the policy. Acute care encounters for respiratory tract infections in 1-year-olds (who would not be expected to benefit as directly from the policy) were modeled as a placebo test. New York State Paid Family Leave policy, introduced on January 1, 2018, providing 8 weeks of paid leave for eligible parents. Emergency department visits or hospitalizations with International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD) codes for upper or lower respiratory tract infections or associated symptoms (ie, fever, cough), excluding newborn hospitalizations. The secondary outcome was acute care encounters for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis. There were 52 943 acute care encounters for respiratory infection among infants 8 weeks or younger. There were 15 932 encounters that were hospitalizations (30%) and 33 304 of the encounters were paid for by Medicaid (63%). Encounters were 18% lower than predicted (relative percentage change = -17.9; 95% CI, -20.3 to -15.7) after the introduction of paid family leave. RSV encounters were 27.0% lower (95% CI, -30.9 to -23.5) than predicted. Similar reductions were not observed in 1-year-olds (relative percentage change = -1.5; 95% CI, -2.5 to -0.6). New York state's paid family leave policy was associated with reduced acute care encounters for respiratory tract infections in young infants. These findings may be useful for informing implementation of paid family leave federally and in the states that have not enacted paid family leave policies.

Paid Family Leave and Acute Respiratory Tract Infections

Paid Family Leave and Acute Respiratory Tract Infections

Successfully Managing a Library Employee’s Leave: Some Considerations

This column article examines the complexities surrounding employee leaves due to disabilities, pregnancy, or other extended absences. Also discussed are some of the legal considerations around employee leave, including a brief review of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The author advocates for proactive planning when possible and a person-centric approach to effectively support employees during absence and upon return. These strategies aim to foster an inclusive and supportive environment for individuals requiring leaves within library settings, promoting equitable representation and effective support.

Female talent and corporate social performance

This paper analyzes the relationship between female talent and corporate social performance (CSP). Using a sample of US firms from the COMPUSTAT database between 1991 and 2013, we investigate how state-level Paid Family Leave (PFL) laws affect firm CSP. We find that reducing barriers to female employment positively impacts firms' social performance, as measured by corporate social responsibility (CSR) scores. Our results show that firms headquartered in states with effective PFL laws have higher CSR strengths and lower CSR concerns. Additionally, the positive impact of PFL laws on CSP is more pronounced for firms included in the Working Mother Magazine's 100 Best Companies List. Our study provides important insights for policymakers and corporate leaders on the benefits of supporting female employment through PFL laws.

Paid Leave Mandates and Care for Older Parents.

Family caregivers play a critical role in the American long-term care system. However, care responsibilities are known to potentially conflict with paid work, as about half of family caregivers are employed. The federal Family and Medical Leave Act passed by the US Congress in 1993 provides a nonuniversal, unpaid work benefit. In response, several states and localities have adopted the Paid Family Leave policy (PFL) and Paid Sick Leave policy (PSL) over the last two decades. Our objective is to examine the effect of these policies on the probability of personal care provision to older parents. This study used longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study (1998-2020). Difference-in-differences regression models were estimated to examine associations between state- and local-level PFL and PSL mandates and personal care provision to older parents. We analyzed heterogeneous effects by the type of paid leave exposure (provision of job protection with PFL and availability of both PSL and PFL [with or without job protection] concurrently). We also examined results for different population subgroups. PSL implementation was associated with a four- to five-percentage point increase in the probability of personal care provision. These effects were mainly attributable to respondents in states/periods when PSL and PFL were concurrently offered. The strongest effects were found among adult children who were employed at baseline, women, younger, unpartnered, and college educated. PFL implementation by itself was not associated with care provision to parents except when the policy also offered job protection. Paid leave policies have heterogeneous impacts on personal care provision, potentially owing to differences in program features, variation in caregiving needs, and respondent characteristics. Overall, the results indicate that offering paid sick leave and paid family leave, when combined with job protection, could support potential family caregivers.

The Intersection of Paid Family Leave and Safety Net Generosity for Low-Income Families

The Intersection of Paid Family Leave and Safety Net Generosity for Low-Income Families

Very Few ACGME-accredited Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Programs Have Web-accessible Leave Policies Dedicated to Parental Leave for Residents, Despite ACGME Requirements.

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires that all graduate medical education (GME) programs provide at least 6 paid weeks off for medical, parental, and caregiver leave to residents. However, it is unclear whether all orthopaedic residency programs have adapted to making specific parental leave policies web-accessible since the ACGME's mandate in 2022. This gap in policy knowledge leaves both prospective and current residents in the dark when it comes to choosing residency programs, and knowing what leave benefits they are entitled to when having children during training via birth, surrogacy, adoption, or legal guardianship. (1) What percentage of ACGME-accredited orthopaedic surgery residency programs provide accessible parental leave policies on their program's website, their GME website, and through direct contact with their program's administration? (2) What percentage of programs offer specific parental leave policies, generic leave policies, or defer to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)? As indicated in the American Medical Association's 2022 Freida Specialty Guide, 207 ACGME-accredited orthopaedic residency programs were listed. After further evaluation using previous literature's exclusion criteria, 37 programs were excluded based on osteopathic graduate rates. In all, 170 ACGME-accredited allopathic orthopaedic surgery residency programs were identified and included in this study. Three independent reviewers assessed each program website for the presence of an accessible parental leave policy. Each reviewer accessed the program's public webpage initially, and if no parental leave policy was available, they searched the institution's GME webpage. If no policy was found online, the program administrator was contacted directly via email and phone. Available leave policies were further classified into five categories by reviewers: parental leave, generic leave, deferred to FMLA, combination of parental and FMLA, and combination of parental and generic leave. Our results demonstrated that 6% (10 of 170) of orthopaedic residency programs had policy information available on their program's main orthopaedic web page. Fifty nine-percent (101 of 170) of orthopaedic residency programs had a clearly stated policy on their institution's GME website. The remaining 35% (59 of 170) had no information on their public website and required direct communication with program administration to obtain policy information. After directly contacting program administration, 12% (21 of 170) of programs responded to researchers request with a PDF explicitly outlining their policy. Twenty-two percent (38 of 170) of programs did not have an accessible policy available. Of the programs that had available policies, a total of 53% (70 of 132) of programs were categorized as offering explicit parental leave policies, 9% (12 of 132) were categorized as offering general leave policies, and 27% (36 of 132) deferred to FMLA. Seven percent (9 of 132) offered combined parental leave policies with FMLA, and 4% (5 of 132) offered combined general leave policies with FMLA. Although most ACGME-accredited allopathic orthopaedic surgery residency programs met the ACGME requirement of written parental leave policies in 2023, a small minority of programs have clear, accessible parental leave policies provided on their webpage. Parental leave policies should be easily accessible to prospective and current trainees and should clearly state compensation and length of leave. Ensuring orthopaedic surgery residency programs provide accessible and transparent parental leave policies is important for maintaining diversity in prospective applicants and supporting the work-life balance of current residents.

Paid Family Leave Programs—Understanding the Consequences for Infant Health

Paid Family Leave Programs—Understanding the Consequences for Infant Health

Family-Leave Mandates and Female Labor at U.S. Firms: Evidence from a Trade Shock

Abstract We examine how the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) impacts the gender composition at U.S. firms experiencing a negative demand shock. Combining changes in Chinese imports across industries between 2000 and 2003 and a sharp regression discontinuity to identify FMLA status, we find that an increase in import competition decreases the share of female employment, earnings, and promotions at FMLA relative to non-FMLA firms. This effect is driven by women in prime childbearing ages and without college degrees; and is pronounced at firms with all male managers. These results suggest that job-protected leave mandates may exacerbate gender inequalities in response to adverse shocks.

The Impacts of New York State's Paid Family Leave Policy on Parents' Sleep and Exercise.

To assess changes in young parents' health behaviors following implementation of New York State's Paid Family Leave Program (NYSPFL). We used synthetic control (N = 117,552) and difference-in-differences (N = 18,973) models with data from the nationally representative Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) from 2011 to 2019 to provide individual-level estimates of the effects of NYSPFL on self-reported exercise in the past month and average daily sleep of adults aged 21-30 years living with one or more children under 18 years of age in New York and comparison states. Synthetic control model results indicate that the NYSPFL increased the likelihood of exercise in the past month among mothers, single parents, and low-income parents by 6.3-10.3% points (pp), whereas fathers showed a decrease in exercise (7.8 pp). Fathers, single parents, and those with two or more children showed increases in daily sleep between 14 and 21min per day. State paid family and medical leave laws may provide benefits for health behaviors among young parents with children under 18, particularly those in low-income and single-parent households.

Paid family leave policy and leave-taking: a synthetic control approach

ABSTRACT This article estimates the effect of California’s Paid Family Leave (CA-PFL) program on young women’s leave-taking. Using the synthetic control method, this study finds that women of childbearing age are more likely to be on leave after the implementation of the policy.

The Long-Run Effects of California's Paid Family Leave Act on Women's Careers and Childbearing: New Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity Design and U.S. Tax Data

The Long-Run Effects of California's Paid Family Leave Act on Women's Careers and Childbearing: New Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity Design and U.S. Tax Data

The Long-Run Effects of California's Paid Family Leave Act on Women's Careers and Childbearing: New Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity Design and U.S. Tax Data

The Long-Run Effects of California's Paid Family Leave Act on Women's Careers and Childbearing: New Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity Design and U.S. Tax Data

Family Leave Policies and Entrepreneurship Across the World

Family Leave Policies and Entrepreneurship Across the World

WHAT MATTERS MOST? REACTIONS TO THE RAISE ADVISORY COUNCIL’S NATIONAL STRATEGY TO SUPPORT FAMILY CAREGIVERS

Abstract This presentation reports on feedback from advocates and researchers, those working in organizations serving family caregivers, and family caregivers themselves regarding the 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers. The Strategy was issued by the RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council, created under the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act (2018). A Request for Information (RFI) published in the Federal Register garnered nearly 600 responses from a wide range of individuals and organizations, providing feedback about top priorities for action, topics or populations that were not adequately addressed, and recommendations for actions that could help meet stated objectives; these comments will prove critical in implementing the National Strategy, as well as in updating and revising it. This presentation sets the progress of the National Strategy in context, reports on the RFI analysis, and describes next steps, highlighting key areas of focus for the federal government, states, and other entities. Priorities included expanding the direct care workforce and increasing access to caregiver training and supports, particularly respite. Other top comments pertained to financial and workplace security for family caregivers - encouraging caregiver-friendly workplaces, paying family members to provide care, and strengthening the Family and Medical Leave Act. Respondents broadly endorsed the Strategy and noted the need for campaigns promoting greater awareness of family caregiving. The findings suggest that there is strong consensus among caregiver advocates regarding the most critical areas for action and the most favored strategies to achieve caregivers’ priority goals.

Association Between State Paid Family and Medical Leave and Breastfeeding, Depression, and Postpartum Visits.

To evaluate the association of state paid family and medical leave policies with the likelihood of breastfeeding, postpartum depression symptoms, and attendance of the postpartum visit. This was a cross-sectional study that used 2016-2019 data from PRAMS (Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System) for 43 states and Washington, DC. We describe the association of state paid family and medical leave generosity with rates of breastfeeding, postpartum depression symptoms, and attendance of the postpartum visit. Logistic and Poisson regression models tested the significance of state paid family and medical leave coverage generosity after controlling for individual respondent sociodemographic characteristics, with sensitivity analyses for respondents with deliveries covered by Medicaid insurance. Of the 143,131 respondents, representative of an estimated 7,426,725 population, 26.2% lived in eight states and DC with the most generous paid family and medical leave, 20.5% lived in nine states with some paid family and medical leave, and 53.3% lived in 26 states with little or no paid family and medical leave. Overall, 54.8% reported breastfeeding at 6 months or at time of the survey, ranging from 59.5% in the most generous paid family and medical leave states to 51.0% in states with the least paid family and medical leave coverage. Postpartum depression symptoms varied from 11.7% in the most generous states to 13.3% in the least generous states (both P<.001). State differences in postpartum visit attendance rates (90.9% overall) did not differ significantly. After adjusting for respondent characteristics, compared with states with the least paid family and medical leave, breastfeeding was 9% more likely (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] 1.09, 95% CI, 1.07-1.11) in states with the strongest paid family and medical leave coverage and 32% more likely (aIRR 1.32, 95% CI, 1.25-1.39) in analyses limited to respondents with deliveries covered by Medicaid insurance. A more generous state paid family and medical leave policy was significantly associated with a lower likelihood of postpartum depression symptoms compared with states with the least paid family and medical leave (adjusted odds ratio 0.85, 95% CI, 0.76-0.94) and a modest but significant increase in postpartum visit attendance (aIRR 1.03, 95% CI, 1.01-1.04) among respondents with deliveries covered by Medicaid insurance. Respondents from states with strong paid family and medical leave had a greater likelihood of breastfeeding and had lower odds of postpartum depression symptoms, with stronger associations among respondents with deliveries covered by Medicaid insurance. Despite major potential health benefits of paid family and medical leave, the United States remains one of the few countries without federally mandated paid parental leave.

Paid family leave and parental investments in infant health: Evidence from California

This paper evaluates the effect of Paid Family Leave (PFL) on breastfeeding and immunizations– two critical parental investments in infant health – which we identify using California’s 2004 PFL policy that ensured mothers up to six weeks of leave at a 55% wage replacement rate. We employ difference-in-difference and difference-in-difference-in-differences models for a large, representative sample of children (N = 314,532) born between 2000 and 2013 drawn from the restricted-use versions of the 2003–2014 National Immunization Surveys. Our most conservative estimates indicate that access to PFL is associated with at least a 15% increase in breastfeeding exclusively for at least six months. We find substantially large effects for disadvantaged mothers, adding to the existing evidence that access to state-sanctioned paid family leave might benefit children overall and disadvantaged children in particular.

The Effects of Paid Family Leave on Corporate Social Responsibility

Purpose - The objective of this research is to investigate how lowering labor market frictions for female workers affects corporate social responsibility (CSR).&#x0D; Design/methodology/approach - We utilize the staggered adoption of state-level Paid Family Leave (PFL) acts in the U.S. These acts provide significant flexibility for female employees by mandating paid leave for a family or medical events. Our study is based on a sample of 30,027 publicly traded firms in the U.S. from 1991 to 2012. We employ a difference-in-differences research design, considering treated firms as those headquartered in states that enacted PFL laws.&#x0D; Findings - We find that there is a significant increase in the firms’ CSR performance following the adoption of the PFL, suggesting that lowering the labor market frictions for female workers encourages firms to invest in CSR initiatives.&#x0D; Research implications or Originality - This study informs policy makers that PFL enables firms to reduce costly employee turnover and results in an increase in CSR performance.