Trends in Paid Family Leave Use by Caregivers
Author Information
Author(s): Jennifer Im, Edwin Wong, Paul Fishman, Heather Hill, Bryan Weiner
Primary Institution: University of Washington
Hypothesis
What are the trends and characteristics of working caregivers using paid family leave programs in Rhode Island and Washington?
Conclusion
The study found that applications for caregiving leave are increasing, with older and higher-income workers more likely to have their claims approved.
Supporting Evidence
- In Rhode Island, 14,323 claims were recorded with an 82.3% approval rate.
- In Washington, 75,739 claims were recorded with a 76.7% approval rate.
- Most applicants in Rhode Island were female (68.3%) and English-speaking (95.1%).
- Applications for spousal caregiving were most common in Rhode Island (36.3%).
- Applications for caregiving for children were most common in Washington (39.1%).
- The lowest-earning workers had the highest percentage of denied claims in both states.
Takeaway
More people are asking for time off to take care of family members, and older workers are more likely to get that time off.
Methodology
The study used logit models with average marginal effects to analyze administrative data on caregiving leave applications and approvals.
Limitations
Data on caregiving leave use is limited and may not represent all caregivers.
Participant Demographics
Most applicants were female, English-speaking, and predominantly White in Washington.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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