The Effects of State Paid Sick Leave Mandates on Parental Childcare Time

J. Catherine Maclean () and Sabrina Wulff Pabilonia ()
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J. Catherine Maclean: Temple University
Sabrina Wulff Pabilonia: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

No 17786, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: Unlike most developed countries, the U.S. lacks a federal paid sick leave policy. As a result, many workers must choose between losing earnings and attending to childcare responsibilities. To date, 17 states and the District of Columbia have adopted or announced paid sick leave mandates that provide up to seven days of paid leave per year that can be used for family responsibilities and healthcare. In this study, we estimate the effects of state paid sick leave mandates on parents’ time spent providing childcare using time diaries from the 2004–2023 American Time Use Survey. Findings from difference-in-differences estimators suggest that post-mandate, parental time spent providing childcare increases by 5.8%. Effects are stronger among women with younger children. Overall, our findings suggest that paid sick leave mandates allow parents to better balance work and family responsibilities.

Keywords: childcare; mandated benefits; paid sick leave; time use (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I18 J28 J32 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-03
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