Understanding parental leave experiences: connecting the dots with a multiple-methods approach

ABSTRACT

This research note draws selected findings from a multiple-methods study conducted in partnership with a large public-sector employer in Portland, OR to describe the added value of this approach for research translation. We focus on how our study of a newly implemented paid parental leave policy can translate to actionable steps for two important end-users: employers and policymakers. Using administrative records (N = 579), a countywide employee survey (N = 137 leave-takers) and focus groups (N = 35), we describe how each data source contributes important and unique information about how the policy’s implementation affected diverse employees. We find gender differences in how employees changed leave-taking in response to the policy, and describe the critical but nuanced role that supervisors play. Working with employers and policymakers to develop and implement thoughtful policies will help to ensure equitable distribution of the benefits of paid leave policies.

RESUMEN

Esta publicación muestra los hallazgos de un estudio que aplica métodos múltiples de investigación para describir el valor agregado de este enfoque en la difusión de los resultados que fue realizado en asociación con un empleador del sector público en Portland, Oregon. Describimos como los resultados de nuestro estudio de la política de permiso parental remunerada pueden ser adaptados y explicados en pasos prácticos a dos usuarios finales importantes: empleadores y políticos. Usando registros administrativos (N = 579), una encuesta de empleados de todo el condado (N = 137 con licencia paternal) y focus groups (N = 35), describimos cómo cada metodología de investigación contribuye con información importante y única en el proceso de implementación de una política que impacta a diversos empleados. Encontramos diferencias de género en la forma en que los empleados modifican los permisos de paternidad en respuesta a la política, y describimos el papel crítico pero complejo que desempeñan los supervisores. Trabajar con empleadores y legisladores para desarrollar e implementar unas políticas inteligentes ayudan a asegurar una distribución equitativa de los beneficios del permiso parental remunerado.

KEYWORDS:

• Paid parental leave
• translation
• multiple methods
• policy implementation
• end users

PALABRAS CLAVES:

• Permiso parental remunerado
• difusión de investigación
• métodos múltiples de investigación
• implementación de políticas
• usuarios finales

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Pilot Grant: [Grant Number NA].

Notes on contributors

Julia M. Goodman

Dr. Goodman is an Assistant Professor of Health Systems Management & Policy in the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health. Her interdisciplinary research lies at the intersection of health services research, population health, and work and family policy and concerns how social, structural, and economic factors influence maternal and infant health. Her research explores the impact of work-related policies, such as paid family leave, on maternal and infant health, as well as potential spillover into the broader workplace. She aims to conduct timely, policy-relevant research to inform ongoing policy discussions. Dr. Goodman holds a PhD in Health Policy and MPH in Maternal and Child Health, both from UC Berkeley, and a BSc in Psychology from McGill University.

Dawn M. Richardson

Dr. Richardson is an Assistant Professor in the Health Promotion Program at the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health and a social epidemiologist trained in Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR). She focuses on advancing equity in public health by pursuing the following inter-related areas of inquiry relevant to social determinants of health and racial/ethnic health disparities: (1) understanding the intersection of place and health, specifically how neighborhood characteristics (e.g. race-based segregation, geographies of opportunity) shape health disparities; (2) examining the impact of racism, discrimination, and immigration status on access to reproductive health services and birth outcomes; and (3) evaluating work-place policies that impact maternal child health disparities (e.g. paid parental leave, breastfeeding support). Dr. Richardson completed a postdoctoral fellowship with the Kellogg Health Scholars Program at the University of Michigan (2010–2012) and a DrPH from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health (2010). She also holds an MPH in Global Health from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and a BS in Psychology from the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga.

Anna Steeves-Reece

Ms. Steeves-Reece is a PhD student at the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health. Her research interests include rural health, the integration of health care and social services to address the structural determinants of health, medical anthropology, and health policy. She previously worked for CARE International to evaluate an adolescent sexual and reproductive health project in Ecuador and then spent three years as a health promoter with the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health in Matagalpa, Nicaragua before deciding to pursue Master’s degrees in Public Health and Latin American Studies at the University of Arizona. Her Master’s thesis focused on maternal mental health and the role of community health workers in rural Nicaragua.

Lisset Dumet Poma

Ms. Dumet Poma is a Research Assistant II in the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences at OHSU working on development and evaluation of a safe patient handling champions program, assessment of trauma and mental health among health department employees, and evaluation of health outcomes in organizations with paid parental leave policies in the workplace. Her work is mostly focused on data analysis and evaluation of social projects that are aimed to improve the health effects related to (1) social interaction at work (e.g. peer effects, supervisor support), (2) socioeconomic factors (e.g. employment policies) and (3) time at work (e.g. flexible schedules). Previously, she worked as a Data Analyst & Research Evaluator in the Division of Community Services in the Center for Evaluation and Sociomedical Research (CIES), of the Graduate School of Public Health of the University of Puerto Rico evaluating the impact of government programs related to health and education in select communities. Ms. Dumet Poma completed a Master’s degree in Business Administration at the University of Seville, Spain and completed a BS in Statistics and Informatics from the National Agrarian University in Lima, Peru.

Anna Plumb

Ms. Plumb is the Evaluation and Research Manager with the Department of County Management at Multnomah County. Her team performs program evaluation and research on workforce equity, operational effectiveness, and employee experience; evaluates the effectiveness of countywide initiatives; and consults countywide on research and evaluation practice. Ms. Plumb has a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota, where she focused on research methods and nonprofit leadership and management.

Kristin Wray

Ms. Wray is a Human Resource Analyst in the Multnomah County Benefits Office where she manages medical leaves for a 6,000+ employee public employer in Oregon. Her work prioritizes family-first practices and developing work-life balance. She is the subject matter expert for FMLA and OFLA leaves, disability programs, and their catastrophic leave donation program. She deals in the day-to-day hands-on experience with employees dealing with major life events when they need an absence from work. Ms. Wray attended the University of Florida in Business Administration.

David A. Hurtado

Dr. Hurtado is an Assistant Professor at the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences and the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health. He is a social and behavioral scientist that examines social determinants of occupational health outcomes. His research is focused on identifying and intervening on modifiable workplace factors to improve the safety, health and productivity of vulnerable populations in high-risk industries. He holds an MSc in society, human development and health and a ScD in social and behavioral sciences, both from Harvard School of Public Health.