The impact of the family and medical leave act

Jane Waldfogel
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Jane Waldfogel: Columbia University, Postal: Columbia University

Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 1999, vol. 18, issue 2, 281-302

Abstract: This article uses data from employer surveys and the March Current Population Survey to investigate the impact of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) on coverage, leave-taking, employment, and earnings. The variation in state laws prior to the FMLA and the variation in coverage under the FMLA provides a “natural experiment” in which the effect of the law can be compared for treatment and con-trol groups. Although the FMLA covers less than half of workers in the private sector (many of whom already had coverage pre-FMLA), this article finds that leave cover-age and usage did increase post-FMLA. The other surprising finding is that this mandated benefit had no significant negative effects on women's employment or wages. ©1999 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.

Date: 1999
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:jpamgt:v:18:y:1999:i:2:p:281-302

DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1520-6688(199921)18:2<281::AID-PAM5>3.0.CO;2-J

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