January 17, 2023

New Study Shows Paid Parental Leave Has Mental Health Benefits

A new meta study published in The Lancet provides a fresh reminder to lawmakers and policy experts that parental leave, especially paid leave, has numerous benefits, both for parental health and economic health, and leave is especially beneficial for mothers.

The study, in which Swedish researchers analyzed 45 previous studies focused on parental leave policies, determined that parents in countries with strong parental leave policies experienced less burnout, depression, and distress. Additionally, these effects lasted long after the initial postpartum period and in some cases reached into the later lives of parents.

As is well known already, financial uncertainty leads to worse mental and physical health outcomes. Throw being a new parent into the mix and you’ve got a recipe for serious problems. But in the case of parents who live in countries with generous paid parental policies, much of the stress from uncertainty is relieved, allowing parents to focus on their health and well-being along with that of their child’s.

As is also well known, the United States ranks dead last on the globe in terms of parental leave, and is the only developed nation that does not provide any paid leave for new parents. It remains a scandalous state of affairs that the United States cannot find the political will to develop federal-level policies that provide all parents with any parental leave. Instead, we leave it up to the whims of employers to provide meager, often unpaid leave to new parents, while mothers continue to face harsh repercussions for simply being pregnant. A number of states have passed Paid Parental Leave policies, but there is still no federal policy.

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Governor Hochul Signs Anti-Harassment and Discrimination Bills

March 24, 2022
Sexual Harassment
In front of gender equity and women’s rights advocates attending a celebration of Women’s History Month Governor Kathy Hochul signed a raft of legislation aiming to bolster workplace rights and protections in the state.

Remote Work a Boon for Pregnant Workers?

March 14, 2022
Pregnancy Discrimination
Kessler notes that for those fortunate enough to be able to work from home, the small box containing their faces no longer broadcasts impending parenthood. Instead, women are able to focus on work, an act of normalcy expectant parents who aren’t pregnant have always enjoyed.

Collusion and Lack of Competition Designed to Favor Employers

March 10, 2022
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The report describes the myriad ways in which employers collaborate to prevent workers from seeking better opportunities elsewhere. These tactics lead to missing out on 15-25% of possible wages a worker might otherwise hope to command, according to estimates in the report.

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