Fast Facts - NCIT Paid Family and Medical Leave Advocacy Toolkit - NCIT - The National Collaborative for Infants & Toddlers

Fast Facts – NCIT Paid Family and Medical Leave Advocacy Toolkit

To provide you with the best science and reduce review time, please find the following science-approved facts for you to use in your campaigns and materials. After each fact, you will find fast facts based on the science, which can be cut and pasted word-for-word without the need for additional science review.

Download Fast Facts as a PDF

Definitions of Paid Leave

Family leave: time away from work to bond with and care for a new child or to care for a sick family member.
Medical leave: time away from work to take care of personal medical conditions.

A Note on Financing Paid Family and Medical Leave

Most states with paid leave programs fund them through a small payroll tax, rather than placing the full burden on employers. This approach spreads the cost across both employers and employees. As of January 2025, no state with a paid leave program charges more than 1.4%, and most set the rate at 1% or less.

Source: New America. Explainer: Paid Leave Benefits and Funding in the United States. New America; 2025. Available from: https://www.newamerica.org/better-life-lab/briefs/explainer-paid-leave-benefits-and-funding-in-the-united-states/

Access to Paid Family and Medical Leave

FACT 1

In 2023, only 27% of private sector and 28% of state and local government workers in the U.S. had access to paid family leave through their employers to bond with a new child or care for a seriously ill or injured family member.

Fast Facts:

Less than a third of people have access to paid family leave.
Less than a third of people employed by private companies have access to paid family leave.
Less than a third of state and local government workers have access to paid family leave.
Most workers in the U.S. do not have access to paid family leave to bond with a new child or care for a sick or injured family member.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. National Compensation Survey: Employee Benefits in the United States, March 2023. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; 2023 Sep. Available from: https://www.bls.gov/ebs/publications/employee-benefits-in-the-united-states-march-2023.htm

FACT 2

Access to paid family and medical leave is lowest among workers with the greatest needs. According to a 2021 study from the Urban Institute, access to paid leave remains highly skewed toward adults with higher incomes (81%), with college degrees (79%), and who work full time (79%). Black and Hispanic/Latino/a families report less access to paid leave than white families.

Fast Facts:

Access to paid family and medical leave is lowest among workers with the greatest needs, including those with lower incomes, without college degrees, and who work part time.
People with higher incomes, college degrees, and full-time jobs are more likely to have access to paid leave.
White families are more likely to report having access to paid leave than Black and Hispanic/Latino/a families.
Black and Hispanic/Latino/a families report less access to paid leave than white families.

Source: Boyens C, Karpman M, Smalligan J. Access to paid leave is lowest among workers with the greatest needs. Urban Institute; 2022 Jul. Available from: https://www.urban.org/research/publication/access-paid-leave-lowest-among-workers-greatest-needs

Churchwell K, Elkind MSV, Benjamin RM, Carson AP, Chang EK, Lawrence W, Mills A, Odom TM, Rodriguez CJ, Rodriguez F, Sanchez E, Sharrief AZ, Sims M, Williams O; American Heart Association. Call to Action: Structural Racism as a Fundamental Driver of Health Disparities: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2020 Dec 15;142(24):e454-e468. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000936.

FACT 3

In 2023, only 6% of workers with the lowest 10% of wages had access to paid family leave. Access to paid family leave continued to increase as wages increased. Still, less than half (48%) of workers with the highest 10% of wages had access to paid family leave.

Fast Facts:

Workers with the lowest wages have the least access to paid family leave. Workers with the highest wages have the greatest access.
Access to paid family leave increases as wages increase.
Workers with the highest incomes are over 12 times more likely to have access to paid family leave.
Only 6% of the lowest paid workers in the U.S. have access to paid family leave.
Even among the highest paid workers in the U.S., less than 50% have access to paid family leave.
Less than half of all U.S. workers have access to paid family leave, regardless of income.

FACT 4

In 2023, 39% of workers in management, professional, and related occupations had access to paid family leave, more than any other major occupation. In contrast, employees in the production, transportation, construction, maintenance, and service sectors had among the lowest rates of access to paid family leave.

Fast Facts:

People who work in managerial or professional jobs are more likely to have access to paid family leave than those who work in production or service jobs.
People in management and professional roles have more access to paid family leave than any other occupation; yet only about one-third of them actually have access.
Employees in production, transportation, construction, maintenance, and service sectors have some of the lowest rates of access to paid family leave.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. What data does the BLS publish on family leave? U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; 2023 Sep. Available from: https://www.bls.gov/ncs/ebs/factsheet/family-leave-benefits-fact-sheet.htm

FACT 5

A 2023 survey by Data for Progress found that 79% of voters in the U.S. support a federal paid leave program. Support remained high regardless of political affiliation, including 92% of Democrats, 74% of Independents, and 72% of Republicans.

Fast Facts:

Most voters support a federal paid leave program.
Eight in 10 voters support a federal paid leave program.
Among voters, there is strong bipartisan support for a federal paid leave program.
Paid leave is a winning policy for Republicans, Democrats, and Independents.
Almost all Democratic voters support a federal paid leave program.
Most Republican voters support a federal paid leave program.
Over 70% of Republican voters and over 90% of Democratic voters support a federal paid leave program.

Source: Data for Progress. Voters Across Party Lines Overwhelmingly Support a Federal Paid Leave Program. Data for Progress; 2023 Feb 3. Available from: https://www.dataforprogress.org/blog/2023/2/3/voters-across-party-lines-overwhelmingly-support-a-federal-paid-leave-program

Health Impact of Paid Family and Medical Leave

FACT 6

One study found that the introduction of paid leave policies led to a reduction in the share of low birthweight and preterm births, especially for Black mothers.

Fast Facts:

Paid leave policies have been shown to lead to healthier babies and mothers.
When mothers have access to paid leave, they have been shown to have healthier babies.
Paid leave policies may lead to fewer preterm and low birthweight babies, especially for Black mothers.
When Black mothers have access to paid leave, they have been shown to have significantly fewer preterm births and babies with low birthweight.

Source: Stearns J. The effects of paid maternity leave: Evidence from Temporary Disability Insurance. J Health Econ. 2015 Sep;43:85-102. doi: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2015.04.005.

FACT 7

One study found that the enactment of California’s paid family leave policy significantly improved food security for households with infants under age 1, compared to states without a policy. Specifically, researchers attributed a 2.3 percentage point drop in food insecurity to the paid leave law. The policy had an even greater impact on households below 185% of the poverty level and those with multiple children.

Fast Facts:

California’s paid leave policy improved food security for households that recently welcomed a child.
Infants experienced significantly less food insecurity after California enacted a paid leave policy.
A California paid leave law decreased food insecurity among families with the greatest need.
California’s paid leave law significantly decreased food insecurity for households with multiple children and low income.
California’s paid leave law significantly decreased food insecurity for households with multiple children.
California’s paid leave law significantly decreased food insecurity for households with low income.

Source: Lenhart O. The effects of paid family leave on food insecurity – evidence from California. Rev Econ Household. 2021;19:615-639. doi: 10.1007/s11150-020-09537-4.

FACT 8

Studies show that after California’s paid family leave policy was enacted, breastfeeding rates among new mothers increased and infant hospitalizations decreased.

Fast Facts:

When California implemented a paid leave policy, more mothers reported breastfeeding, and fewer babies were hospitalized.
Paid leave in California is linked to increased breastfeeding reported by new mothers.
California’s paid leave policy is linked to a decrease in infant hospitalizations.

Source: Huang R, Yang M. Paid maternity leave and breastfeeding practice before and after California’s implementation of the nation’s first paid leave program. Econ Hum Biol. 2015;16:45-59. doi: 10.1016/j.ehb.2013.12.009.

Pihl AM, Basso G. Did California paid family leave impact infant health? J Policy Anal Manage. 2019;38(1):155-80.

FACT 9

Paid leave policies may lead to long-term health benefits, in part by encouraging prompt medical check-ups during infancy. One study found that after California implemented its paid family leave policy, rates of overweight, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and hearing-related problems declined among elementary school-age children.

Fast Facts:

Paid leave policies may have long-term health benefits for children, partly due to prompt medical check-ups during infancy.
When parents have paid leave, children may grow up healthier.
Being able to bond with and care for a new child may have long-term health benefits as the child grows up.
After California enacted paid family leave, children were less likely to experience excess weight gain, be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or face hearing-related issues.

Source: Rossin-Slater M, Uniat L. Paid family leave policies and population health. Health Aff. 2019 Mar. doi: 10.1377/hpb20190301.484936.

Lichtman-Sadot S, Bell NP. Child health in elementary school following California’s paid family leave policy. J Policy Anal Manage. 2017;36(4):790-827. doi: 10.1002/pam.22012.

Business Impact of Paid Family and Medical Leave

FACT 10

One study found that employees who reported taking paid leave were more likely to be working nine to 12 months after a child’s birth, compared to women who reported taking no leave.

Fast Facts:

Women who take paid leave after the birth of a child are more likely to reenter the workforce within a year of the child’s birth.
Women who do not take paid leave after the birth of a child are less likely to reenter the workforce within a year of the child’s birth.

Source: Houser L, Vartanian TP. Pay matters: The positive economic impacts of paid family leave for families, businesses and the public. Rutgers Center for Women and Work; 2012. Available from: https://smlr.rutgers.edu/sites/smlr/files/Documents/Centers/CWW/Publications/CWW%20Paid%20Leave%20Brief%20Jan%202012.pdf

FACT 11

In one study, employers reported that paid leave either had no effect on their establishment or had a positive effect on productivity, profits, retention, employee morale, and turnover.

Fast Facts:

When employers offer paid leave, it may benefit the employees and the business.
Businesses that offer paid leave may see increased productivity, profits, retention, and morale and decreased turnover.
Offering employees paid leave may be good business: it may increase productivity, profits, retention, and morale and may decrease turnover.
Workers who can take paid time off work to care for themselves or a family member may be more productive.

Source: Appelbaum E, Milkman R. Leaves that pay: Employer and worker experiences with paid family leave in California. Center for Economic and Policy Research; 2011. Available from: https://www.cepr.net/documents/publications/paid-family-leave-1-2011.pdf

The Council of Economic Advisors, Executive Office of the President of the United States. The economics of paid and unpaid leave. Executive Office of the President of the United States; 2014 Jun. Available from: https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/docs/leave_report_final.pdf

FACT 12

Providing paid leave may level the playing field for small businesses. Small businesses that cannot afford to offer the same generous leave benefits as larger companies may have a competitive disadvantage in hiring.

Fast Facts:

Offering paid leave may make small businesses more competitive with larger companies.
Small businesses that do not offer paid leave may be at a disadvantage when hiring compared to large companies that do offer paid leave.

FACT 13

In California, 92% of employers reported that paid family leave had a positive or neutral effect on employee turnover, saving employers the costly step of replacing an existing employee.

Fast Facts:

In California, where paid leave is universal, most employers say that offering paid leave saves them money by having either a positive or neutral effect on employee turnover.
According to 92% of California employers, paid family leave reduces or does not impact employee turnover, helping businesses save time and money

Economic Impact of Paid Family and Medical Leave

FACT 14

A study published in 2020 found that access to paid leave may reduce reliance on public assistance programs, depending on each individual family’s overall resources. In particular, the study found that living in a state with paid maternity leave was associated with a 4.3% decreased use of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and reduced the benefits received per year by $104 per family, compared to living in a state without paid maternity leave.

Fast Facts:

Paid leave policies may reduce families’ need to rely on public assistance programs.
In states with paid maternity leave, fewer families have to rely on public assistance programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
When families have access to paid leave, they can be more financially independent and less dependent on public assistance programs.
When states enact paid leave, it can save them money by reducing reliance on public assistance programs.

Source: Kang J. The effect of paid maternity leave on low-income families’ welfare use in the US. Soc Policy Adm. 2020;54(6):1-19. doi: 10.1111/spol.12618.

FACT 15

One study found that women who take paid leave were 39% less likely to participate in other government-sponsored assistance programs in the year following childbirth, compared to women who take no leave.

Fast Facts:

Women who take paid leave are nearly 40% less likely to rely on federal assistance programs during the first year of their child’s life.
Women who do not have access to paid leave may be more reliant on government assistance programs during the first year of their child’s life.

Click Here to Download