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

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  • Johanna Catherine Maclean
  • Sabrina Wulff Pabilonia

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Johanna Catherine Maclean & Sabrina Wulff Pabilonia, 2024. "The Effects of State Paid Sick Leave Mandates on Parental Childcare Time," NBER Working Papers 32710, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:32710
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    Cited by:

    1. Mir M. Ali & Thanh Lu & Johanna Catherine Maclean & Angélica Meinhofer, 2024. "Mental Health, Substance Use, and Child Maltreatment," NBER Working Papers 32895, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Xiuming Dong & Johanna Catherine Maclean & David Powell, 2024. "Social Insurance Spillovers: Evidence From Paid Sick Leave Mandates and Workers' Compensation," NBER Working Papers 32751, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • J28 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy
    • J33 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Compensation Packages; Payment Methods

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