5 Things You Should Know About

Paid Leave.
By Yazmin Cedillo

November 30

Jennie Pasquarella, her husband, Ron Milam, and their twins, Sebastian, left, and August Milam, at
home in Los Angeles. Ms. Pasquarella took advantage of an extended paid family leave that is offered in
California. Credit J. Emilio Flores for The New York Times

When Jane Carol gave birth to her daughter a year ago, within two weeks she
was back at work.
I felt terrible.I felt like I left a part of me at home. I felt like chose a
paycheck over my new born daughter

Nearly all woman like Jane go back to work within weeks of having a baby,
because most cant afford to be out any longer. But that is the stark reality for
many people who cant afford to take time off from their jobs without pay
when they have an illness or have a baby or to care for a parent, spouse or
child. However policies for paid family leave are slowing changing and we the
people of the American workforce need to start voicing our support for it. Here
are five things you should know about paid leave in America.
America Is The Only Industrialized Country That Does Not Offer
Paid Leave. Despite having an advanced economy, the United States lags far
behind other countries in its policies for paid family leave. According to the
Pew Research Center, among 41 nations only the United States lacks paid
parental leave. Most countries offer an average 10 months or more of paid
parental leave.
States and Local Governments Are Driving the Fight for Paid Leave.
Only three states- California, New Jersey and Rhode Island- currently offer
paid family and medical leave. California became the first state to enact paid
family leave since 2004. California workers are entitled to receive 55 percent
of their wages for up to six weeks of leave. A handful of states have enacted
laws offering paid family to government workers and at the local level, cities
have transition to offer nonunion municipal workers paid family leave.
There Are Economic Benefits to Paid Leave. Reports from California
companies show 89 to 90 percent of employers had no effect or positive one
on productivity, profitability, turnover and morale. Nine percent say they
saved money and 87 percent report it has not increased costs. With paid leave,
more people take time off, particularly low income parents who would
otherwise take no leave or dropped out of the workforce. Paid leave also

increases the chance of mothers to return to the workforce, work more hours
and earn higher wages and about 40 percent less likely to receive public aid or
food stamps.
America Offers Unpaid Leave But Not Everyone Is Eligible. 39
percent or 43.5 million workers do not have access to paid leave. Many
businesses do not meet the criteria or qualifications under the Family Medical
Leave Act. Unpaid leave benefits provided by FMLA apply to less than 60
percent of US workers because employers are exempt from the law. This
results in individuals who are ill to be forced to make the choice of: stay home
and recover or go to work because they cant afford a smaller paycheck. A
study in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found
working sick cost American employers about $160 billion in lost productivity
annually.
Theres A Major Fear It Would Put a Burden on Businesses.
Positions against implementing a national paid family and medical leave
program are fears of it negatively impacting business, particularly small,
incurring twice the cost for companies to provide paid leave and overtime pay.
However research from states that have already enacted paid leave programs
show these fears may be overblown. Research from the three states that have
enacted paid leave show that initial fears about negative effects did not
materialize.
Implementing a paid leave law will help but it will not be enough. Public
awareness and workplace culture must change in order for paid leave to
thrive.