The Effects of Paid Family and Medical Leave on Employment Stability and Economic Security

The analysis in this report finds that a federal paid family and medical leave program would most likely have positive effects on employment and lifetime income, as national data consistently show that access to any form of parental leave, paid or unpaid, makes women more likely to return to work after giving birth. These effects would be largest for less-educated and lower-income families, who currently have the lowest levels of access to any form of leave, paid or unpaid.