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Articles

The influence of state maternity leave policies on US mothers’ employment

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Pages 459-478 | Received 18 Nov 2014, Accepted 15 Jul 2016, Published online: 07 Sep 2016
 

ABSTRACT

This study examines the influence of variation in state maternity leave policies on mothers’ employment. Data come from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) [U.S. Census Bureau. (Citation2010). America’s families and living arrangements: 2010 (Data file). Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/hhfam/cps2010/tabAVG1.xls] (n  = 1380) paired with an assessment of state provisions of expanded family leave. Results from a negative binomial regression show that job-protected leave greater than the 12 weeks provided under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a marginally significant predictor of women spending fewer years out of the workforce following childbirth. Results from a logistic regression reveal that mothers in states with expanded access to job-protected leave are less likely to resign from their jobs within 12 weeks of their first childbirth than are mothers in states with non-expanded FMLA eligibility. These findings decrease the uncertainty about the effects of such legislation on mothers’ labour force participation, and support expansion of eligibility in order to better support working families.

RESUMEN

El estudio examina la influencia de variación entre las políticas de permiso maternal en el empleo de madres. Los datos vienen de La Encuesta de Ingreso y Participación del Programa (Survey of Income and Program Participation, SIPP) (Censo, 2010) (n  = 1380) junto con una evaluación de las provisiones del estado para el permiso extendido familiar. Los resultados de una regresión negativa binomial indican que el permiso de trabajo-protegido más de doce semanas establecido en La Acta de Permiso Medical (Médico(y Familiar (APMF) (Family and Medical Leave Act, FMLA) es un indicador de las mujeres quienes pasan menos años sin trabajo después de un parto. Los resultados de una regresión logística indican que las madres viviendo en estados donde hay acceso ampliado del permiso de trabajo-protegido tienen menos probabilidad de dejaro renunciar de sus trabajos entre las doce semanas siguientes del primer parto, que las madres quienes viven en estados sin acceso ampliado por la elegibilidad de APMF. Las comprobaciones del estudio presentado disminuyen laincertidumbre de los efectos de la legislación por la participación de madres en el puesto de trabajo, y apoyan la expansión de la elegibilidad para mejorar el apoyo a las familias trabajadoras.

Notes on contributors

Clair Clark holds a Master of Public Policy from Oregon State University. She currently serves as a Lead Research Analyst for the State of Oregon. Her work focuses on data integration, social policy, work and family.

Sally K. Gallagher is Professor of Sociology in the school of Public Policy at Oregon State University. She writes in the areas of work and family, religion and community, and family caregiving.

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