Policy & Practice | Summer 2024

Paid Family Medical Leave that Works Effective Program Design and Implementation

ome home events and situations are particularly disruptive to people’s lives, forcing them to make impossible choices when they are most vulnerable. An individual may need time to recover from a serious illness, care for a new child, or tend to a sick family member—and have to weigh whether they can afford to risk their paycheck and job security. Paid family and medical leave (PFML) programs aim to help people get through such life events by providing employees with job-protected, paid time off. Research suggests that paid family leave can improve the well-being of workers and their families, create family and employ ment stability, and boost gender and racial equity, all without marked disruption for employers. 1,2 Thirteen By Arjun Gupte, Tiffany Dovey Fishman, Scott Malm, and Sagar Pandit S

states and the District of Columbia have enacted mandatory PFML programs; others offer voluntary programs through private insurance. 3 As more states consider enacting PFML or evaluate models for similar job-protected benefits, policymakers can look to recent program launches around the country for lessons learned.

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Summer 2024 Policy & Practice