Paid Family Leave

Increasing access to paid family leave improves family wellbeing while increasing employee retention and workforce participation. 

Across the US, access to paid family leave remains uneven, leaving many workers without the financial stability, job security, and caregiving support needed during major life events. Research shows that expanding access to paid family leave improves financial well-being, mental health, caregiving capacity, and employee retention, while helping parents more equitably share caregiving responsibilities. However, many workers remain unaware of available benefits due to weak employer communication and limited public outreach. A federal program that provides at least 12 weeks of paid leave for all workers, expands family definitions to include chosen family, and guarantees job protection to prevent retaliation could reduce or eliminate disparities in minority communities’ access to leave benefits. Implementing a federal paid leave program would cost less than 1% of wages but yield significant economic benefits, particularly for women, by boosting workforce participation and reducing public assistance needs.

Expand universal paid family leave. And make sure workers know about this benefit.

Additional related resource: 

• Guaranteed Income: An Unconditional Investment in Children and Families