NB21-15: Paid Family Leave and Family Health Shocks

First implemented in California in 2004, state-based paid family leave legislation has been passed in eight U.S. states and the District of Columbia, covering over 20 percent of the U.S. workforce. While much of the past literature on paid family leave policies analyzes their use by new parents following the birth or adoption of a child, this project examines their use by individuals whose spouses experience adverse health events. The effects of paid family leave policies on labor market outcomes for non-childbirth-related health shocks has elevated importance as we grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic.