Job protection and wage replacement are key factors in Paid Family and Medical Leave Policy

DURHAM — Lower-wage workers have substantially less access to employer-provided paid family and medical leave than higher-earning workers, according to new research by the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire. Job protection and sufficient wage replacement are key factors in any leave program in order to ensure participation of lower-wage workers.

“If state and federal policymakers intend to increase access to and decrease inequity in paid family and medical leave, they need to consider job protection and a scaled wage replacement scheme that allows lower-wage workers to maintain most of their wages,” said Kristin Smith, family demographer at the Carsey School and research associate professor of sociology. “Workers will be reluctant to take leave if it means a potential job loss and choosing between caring for themselves or a loved one and making ends meet. A worker’s financial stability should not be put in question when taking paid family and medical leave.”