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Morrissey TW, Castleberry NM, Soni A. The Impacts of New York State's Paid Family Leave Policy on Parents' Sleep and Exercise. Matern Child Health J 2024; 28:1042-1051. [PMID: 38294605 DOI: 10.1007/s10995-024-03899-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To assess changes in young parents' health behaviors following implementation of New York State's Paid Family Leave Program (NYSPFL). METHODS 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. RESULTS 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 21 min per day. CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE 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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taryn W Morrissey
- Department of Public Administration and Policy, School of Public Affairs, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20016, USA.
| | - Neko Michelle Castleberry
- Department of Public Administration and Policy, School of Public Affairs, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20016, USA
| | - Aparna Soni
- Department of Public Administration and Policy, School of Public Affairs, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20016, USA
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Tanis JM, Klein SM, Boyke H. State paid family leave policies and infant maltreatment. Child Abuse Negl 2024; 152:106758. [PMID: 38574603 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Growing research points to economic policies as protective mechanisms for vulnerable families. Research on pediatric abusive head trauma suggests that paid family leave (PFL) may protect infants in the general population from physical abuse. OBJECTIVE To examine the association of state-level paid family leave policies with infant (ages 0-1) maltreatment rates. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING A state-level panel dataset was constructed from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (2002-2019) data on infant maltreatment investigations among four states with PFL (California, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island) and 36 states without PFL. METHODS A piecewise longitudinal model and a nested model comparison were conducted to estimate the treatment effect of PFL on the population rate of infant maltreatment investigations. Supplementary analyses examined the moderating effect of three covariates. RESULT PFL reduced the linear rate of change in infant maltreatment rates in the states where it was enacted by a factor of 0.979 for each year post-policy implementation compared to states without such policies, B = -0.021, SE = 0.008, 95 % CI = [-0.036,-0.005]. Examining treatment states only, the slope of infant maltreatment became significantly shallower post-policy implementation, χ2(1) = 3.178, p = .075. Interactions testing the moderating effects of family poverty and adults with less than high school education were significant, B = -0.304, 95 % CI = [-0.564,-0.052]; B = -0.511, 95 % CI = [-0.799,-0.249], respectively. CONCLUSION Results suggest that PFL has a beneficial effect on infant maltreatment rates and add to growing evidence that policies aimed to support household economic stability could be a vital child maltreatment prevention policy tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Tanis
- Michigan State University, School of Social Work, 239 Baker Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States of America; Hope College, Department of Sociology and Social Work, 41 Graves Place, PO Box 9000, Holland, MI 49422, United States of America.
| | - Sacha M Klein
- Michigan State University, School of Social Work, 239 Baker Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States of America.
| | - Hannah Boyke
- Michigan State University, School of Social Work, 239 Baker Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States of America.
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Dumet L, Nelson H. Achieving paid family leave in Oregon, USA: analysis of the policy process using the advocacy coalition framework. J Public Health Policy 2024; 45:74-85. [PMID: 38155241 DOI: 10.1057/s41271-023-00455-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Only a few states have adopted a paid family leave (PFL) policy in the United States of America. Local media described the 2019 Oregon PFL legislation as "the most progressive" policy in the country, with coalitions as crucial policy advocates. This case study applies the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) to examine policy learning and negotiated agreements as causal mechanisms to explain the adoption of the PFL. We identified three modes of policy learning: previous policy cycles, learning from other coalitions, and learning from community organizations. ACF explains the evolution of negotiated agreements based on the stability of coalition belief systems, including consensus on leave time, inclusivity, and cost-sharing contributions. ACF helps describe how coalitions adopted progressive ideas such as equity. However, ACF's elements that allow a deeper exploration of narratives were missing. Future studies should include interviews with coalition members and compare state policies to assess strategies. Future policy initiatives could integrate feedback from community organizations into policy strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisset Dumet
- Oregon Health Science University-Portland State University School of Public Health, 1810 SW 5th Ave, Portland, OR, 97201, USA.
| | - Hal Nelson
- Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA
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Pac J, Bartel A, Ruhm C, Waldfogel J. Paid family leave and parental investments in infant health: Evidence from California. Econ Hum Biol 2023; 51:101308. [PMID: 37812832 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2023.101308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Pac
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Institute for Research on Poverty and Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work, 1350 University Ave., Madison, WI 53706, USA.
| | - Ann Bartel
- Columbia University, Columbia Business School, 623 Uris, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Christopher Ruhm
- University of Virginia, Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, Garrett Hall 108, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Jane Waldfogel
- Columbia School of Social Work, Columbia University, 1255 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10027, USA
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Chatterji P, Nguyen T, Ncube B, Dennison BA. Effects of New York state paid family leave on early immunizations. Soc Sci Med 2022; 315:115539. [PMID: 36413857 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To test whether introduction of New York Paid Family Leave (NY PFL) in 2018 is associated with the timeliness of immunizations among infants whose mothers reside in NY in one of the 57 counties outside of New York City (NYC). METHODS We use difference-in-difference methods, comparing immunization outcomes before and after NY PFL went into effect among infants born to mothers who were employed during pregnancy, and thus likely to be affected by NY PFL, vs. mothers who were not employed during pregnancy and thus unlikely to be affected. Data come from two administrative sources: (1) NYS Vital Statistics birth data; and (2) the NYS Immunization Information System (NYSIIS). RESULTS Our findings suggest that NY PFL is associated with small increases in the probability that firstborn infants have had all immunizations on time at the ages of two and four months. We do not find statistically significant effects of NY PFL on immunization outcomes among higher birth order children. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that NY PFL led to small improvements in the timeliness of early immunizations among firstborn infants.
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Tait M, Bogucki C, Baum L, Franklin Fowler E, Niederdeppe J, Gollust S. Paid family leave on local television news in the United States: Setting the agenda for policy reform. SSM Popul Health 2021; 14:100821. [PMID: 34095428 PMCID: PMC8164082 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Access to paid family and medical leave (“paid leave”) has bipartisan support among lawmakers in the United States, but the issue remains stalled on the public policy agenda. The U.S. does not currently have a federal paid leave policy, and unpaid leave—guaranteed by the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993—is all that is available to the majority of workers. In this study, we examine the content of local television news as representations of, and potential influence on, paid leave policy agendas. To do so, we analyze the extent to which local television news coverage describes the problem of lack of employment leave, and whether coverage highlights public policy as a solution. We use data from local television stations affiliated with the four major networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX) in all 210 media markets in the U.S. during a period pre-pandemic, from October 2018 until July 2019. We find that 64% of local television news coverage related to paid leave discussed the issue in the context of public policy. Coverage more often cited early-stage policy actions such as a policy idea - reflected in 40% of stories discussing stages of public policymaking – or the introduction of a bill – detailed in 22% of these stories. This coverage aligns with actual policy activity at the state-level during the same time period. News coverage infrequently included elements that could shape public understanding of paid leave as a population health issue, such as including health-related sources of providers or researchers. Policymakers, advocates, and researchers looking to advance public support for paid leave should consider efforts to use local television news as a vehicle to present health and policy-relevant information to broad segments of the public and set the agenda for policy reform. Local tv news coverage of paid family leave was infrequent. Relevant coverage highlighted policy details and included political sources. Political sources in coverage potentially politicized the issue for viewers. Details of the health equity implications of policy were largely absent. Local tv news outlets are important to prioritize in research dissemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Tait
- Department of Health Policy and Management, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, D305 Mayo Building, MMC 729 420 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA
| | - Colleen Bogucki
- Wesleyan Media Project Wesleyan University, 45 Wyllys Ave. Middletown, CT 06459, USA
| | - Laura Baum
- Wesleyan Media Project Wesleyan University, 45 Wyllys Ave. Middletown, CT 06459, USA
| | - Erika Franklin Fowler
- Wesleyan Media Project Wesleyan University, 45 Wyllys Ave. Middletown, CT 06459, USA.,Department of Government Wesleyan University, 45 Wyllys Ave. Middletown, CT 06459 USA
| | - Jeff Niederdeppe
- Department of Communication Cornell University, 476 Mann Library Building Ithaca, NY 14853 USA
| | - Sarah Gollust
- Department of Health Policy and Management, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, D305 Mayo Building, MMC 729 420 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA
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Khan MS. Paid family leave and children health outcomes in OECD countries. Child Youth Serv Rev 2020; 116:105259. [PMID: 32834274 PMCID: PMC7367791 DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
During the past four decades, most OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries have adopted or expanded paid family leave, which offers leave to workers following the birth or adoption of a child as well as care for ill family members. While the effects of paid maternity leave on child health have been the subject of a large body of research, little is known about fathers' leave-taking and the effects of paid paternity leave. This is a limitation, since most of the recent expansion in paid family leave in OECD countries has been to expand leave benefits to fathers. Mothers' and fathers' leave-taking may improve child health by decreasing postpartum depression among mothers, improving maternal mental health, increasing the time spent with a child, and increasing the likelihood of child medical checkup. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of paid family leave on the wellbeing of children, extending what we know about the effects of maternity leave and establishing new evidence on paternity leave. The paper examines the effects of paid family leave expansions on country-level neonatal mortality rates, infant mortality rates, under-five mortality rates, and the measles immunization rates in 35 OECD countries, during the time period of 1990 to 2016. Using an event study design, an approximately 1.9-5.2 percent decrease in the infant, neonatal, and under-five mortality rates has been found following the adoption of paid maternity leave. However, the beneficial impact is not as visible for extension of paid leave to fathers. The implications and potential reasons behind the larger protective effects of maternity leave over paternity leave on child health outcomes are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam S Khan
- Department of Public Administration & Policy, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, D.C. 20016, United States
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Goodman JM, Elser H, Dow WH. Employer-Reported Access to Paid Parental Leave: A study of San Francisco's Paid Parental Leave Ordinance. SSM Popul Health 2020; 11:100627. [PMID: 32715078 PMCID: PMC7371918 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2020.100627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
A growing body of research finds that paid leave policies have significant population health benefits for workers and their families, but the lack of a national paid leave policy in the United States leaves most workers without access to any paid leave. In 2017 San Francisco implemented the nation's first fully paid leave policy, mandating that covered employers provide up to six weeks of leave to care for a new child. The objective of our study is to examine how the San Francisco Paid Parental Leave Ordinance (PPLO) affected paid leave access, including among workers in low-wage industries. Methods: We surveyed Bay Area employers in 2018, the year after PPLO took effect. We estimated difference-in-differences models of changes in access to paid leave before versus after implementation of the PPLO in San Francisco compared to surrounding counties. Results: Availability of paid leave in San Francisco firms increased from 45% in 2016 to 79% following implementation of the PPLO. This is significantly more (p < 0.05) than the increase from 32% to 47% in surrounding counties. Compliance was lowest (67%) among low-wage firms. We found minimal evidence of self-reported negative effects on employers. Overall, 82% of firms supported the PPLO. Conclusions: San Francisco's experience demonstrates the feasibility of using local policy to increase parental leave access. San Francisco recently enacted the first fully paid parental leave policy in the U.S. Access to paid leave increased in San Francisco relative to surrounding counties. Compliance was lowest among low-wage employers. Employers reported minimal negative impacts and high support for the policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M Goodman
- Oregon Health & Science University-Portland State University School of Public Health, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Holly Elser
- University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - William H Dow
- University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
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Doran EL, Bartel AP, Ruhm CJ, Waldfogel J. California's paid family leave law improves maternal psychological health. Soc Sci Med 2020; 256:113003. [PMID: 32464413 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study the effect of California's first in the nation paid family leave policy on maternal postpartum psychological distress for women overall and for disadvantaged groups. METHODS We use restricted data from 11 waves of the National Health Interview Survey, from 2000 to 2010, to examine mothers with children under the age of 12 months (n = 7379). Outcomes included three measures obtained from the six-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale: an aggregated score and thresholds for mild and moderate psychological distress. For inference, we used synthetic control models, comparing mothers with infants in California to mothers with infants in the control group, pre-law and post-law. RESULTS Access to paid family leave was associated with a 0.636-point decrease (95% CI = -1.202, -0.070) in postpartum psychological distress symptoms among mothers with infants, representing a 27.6% decrease from the pre-treatment mean. It was also associated with a 9.1 percentage point reduction (95% CI = -17.8, -0.4) in mild postpartum distress, a 38.4% reduction from the pre-treatment mean. Populations that typically lack access to paid family leave, particularly single and younger mothers, may have seen even larger effects. CONCLUSIONS Paid family leave was associated with improved mental health for California mothers, suggesting that expansions of state or federal paid family leave policies have the potential to improve maternal postpartum health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth L Doran
- Columbia University School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
| | - Ann P Bartel
- Columbia Business School, 3022 Broadway, 623 Uris Hall New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Christopher J Ruhm
- Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy University of Virginia 235 McCormick Rd.P.O. Box 400893 Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Jane Waldfogel
- Columbia University School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY, 10027, USA
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Lee BC, Modrek S, White JS, Batra A, Collin DF, Hamad R. The effect of California's paid family leave policy on parent health: A quasi-experimental study. Soc Sci Med 2020; 251:112915. [PMID: 32179364 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.112915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The U.S. is the only high-income country without a national paid family leave (PFL) policy. While a handful of U.S. states have implemented PFL policies in recent years, there are few studies that examine the effects of these policies on health. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that California's PFL policy-implemented in 2004-improved parent health outcomes. Data were drawn from the 1993-2017 waves of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, a large diverse national cohort study of U.S. families (N = 6,690). We used detailed longitudinal sociodemographic information about study participants and a quasi-experimental difference-in-differences analytic technique to examine the effects of California's PFL policy on families who were likely eligible for the paid leave, while accounting for underlying trends in these outcomes among states that did not implement PFL policies in this period. Outcomes included self-rated health, psychological distress, overweight and obesity, and alcohol use. We found improvements in self-rated health and psychological distress, as well as decreased likelihood of being overweight and reduced alcohol consumption. Improvements in health status and psychological distress were greater for mothers, and reductions in alcohol use were greater for fathers. Results were robust to alternative specifications. These findings suggest that California's PFL policy had positive impacts on several health outcomes, providing timely evidence to inform ongoing policy discussions at the federal and state levels. Future studies should examine the effects of more recently implemented state and local PFL policies to determine whether variation in policy implementation and generosity affects outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethany C Lee
- University of Pennsylvania Law School, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sepideh Modrek
- Health Equity Institute, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Justin S White
- Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Akansha Batra
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Daniel F Collin
- Department of Family & Community Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Rita Hamad
- Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Family & Community Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Paid family leave (PFL) is an important protective policy mechanism to support the health of mothers and children and the economic security of families This paper explores the links of employment and demographic characteristics on leave type and lengths of overall, paid, and unpaid leave in a large city in the United States. METHODS Using a sample of 601 women who worked during pregnancy from the 2016 New York City Work and Family Leave Survey, multinomial and linear regression models were used to assess disparities in the type and length of leave taking. RESULTS Women eligible for the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) have higher relative likelihood to take only paid leave (RRR = 6.588, p < 0.01). While Black women utilized 3.739 weeks of leave more than white women overall, holding all else constant (p < 0.1), this additional leave is composed of 4.739 more weeks of unpaid leave (p < 0.05). Shortened leave taking by women with less than a college degree is driven by fewer weeks of paid leave (p < 0.01). DISCUSSION Using unique data from a survey of recent mothers in New York City, this study provides deeper understanding of disparities in the composition of leave. This study adds to the literature by identifying disparities in leave composition that are masked in consideration of total lengths of leave for Black women and those not eligible for FMLA protections. Given the consequences of short leave taking and reliance on unpaid leave, examination of leave composition is required to identify and address disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith Slopen
- Columbia University School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY, 10027-5927, USA.
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Goodman JM. Laboring Until Labor: The Prevalence and Correlates of Antenatal Maternity Leave in the United States. Matern Child Health J 2017; 22:184-194. [PMID: 29124627 DOI: 10.1007/s10995-017-2390-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Introduction Most women in the U.S. are employed during pregnancy and work until the month of childbirth. For many, working throughout pregnancy poses little threat to their health; however, women experiencing difficult pregnancies and/or working in strenuous or inflexible jobs may benefit from taking time from work as they approach childbirth, but almost no empirical evidence examines antenatal leave (ANL). Methods Using a national survey of English-speaking women, this paper offers the first national description of ANL and examines state policy predictors of uptake. Results Thirty-seven percent of employed women worked until the week their baby was due. After controlling for characteristics of women and their jobs, living in a state with any or multiple leave laws increased the probability of ANL by 14 and 23% points, respectively. Women living in states with multiple leave laws stopped work almost 2 weeks earlier than women in states without a policy. Discussion Paid leave policies currently being considered at the federal, state, and local levels should consider the potential impact on antenatal leave, in addition to postnatal leave, and how they influence population health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M Goodman
- School of Public Health, Oregon Health & Science University and Portland State University, P.O. Box 751, Portland, OR, 97207-0751, USA.
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