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No Equality Without Paid Leave
Paid leave is one of the clearest paths to women’s full participation in democracy.
Ms. Magazine
By Inimai Chettiar
States with paid leave have seen a 20 percent reduction in the number of women who stop working in the year after giving birth, according to the nonprofit Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Women with access to paid leave are more likely to stay attached to the labor force, and are more likely to report wage increases after giving birth, compared to mothers who have no paid leave.
This is not just a women’s issue. Workers of all genders care for loved ones and need support. But it is the case that men tend to take less leave to care for children and family members, often citing worries about losing pay. When men cannot afford to take leave, women absorb more of the caregiving load, reinforcing gender inequities.