On February 12, 2019, Senator Gillibrand Tweeted reintroducing the Family Act to ensure caretakers don’t have to make the choice of caring for their family or “putting food on the table”.
Here are MOR’s top 10 reasons why paid family leave is critical for families and valuable to their employers:
- Paid leave supports postpartum health for both mom and baby. Moms are less likely to experience postpartum depression and are healthier. Infant mortality rates are lower and babies are more likely to be vaccinated when a parent has paid leave.
- Women who receive 12 weeks of paid leave are more likely to breastfeed which decreases the risk of illness and SIDS in baby.
- Women with paid leave are more likely to stay in the workforce 9–12 months after giving birth than non-leave takers.
- Women who take paid leave report positive changes in wages within a year of returning to work which also sets the stage for greater long-term earnings. Gender diversity at the executive level is tied to higher company performance.
- The likelihood that workers in low-quality jobs will return to work for the same employer is higher after taking paid leave. Replacing an employee can cost the company anywhere from 25–500% of that person’s annual salary.
- Women who return to work after paid leave are less likely to receive government assistance or food stamps than those who do not take leave.
- Employees are placing a higher value on benefits and perks, like paid parental leave, over a pay increase.
- 90% of employers that offer paid family leave report the effects as positive or neutral. In California, a state with supplemental paid family leave, a study showed 87% of companies saw no increase in cost.
- Over 69% of companies are investing in benefits to tackle retention, this includes paid family leave.
- Under current tax laws, companies that offer 12 weeks paid leave to employees making less than $72,000/year can receive a tax break.
Ready to do MOR?
Erica and Emily
