Paid Parental Leave Policies Among U.S. News & World Report 2020-2021 Best Hospitals and Best Hospitals for Cancer.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Lu DJ
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8114142 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:BackgroundThe American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) require that residency programs allow at least 6 weeks of parental leave. The American Medical Association (AMA) recommends 12 weeks of paid parental leave. Despite these recommendations, there is little information about parental leave policies across U.S. neurology residencies. The objective of our study was to assess parental leave policies in U.S. adult neurology residencies and barriers to increasing the duration of leave.MethodsWe distributed an anonymous online survey to U.S. adult neurology program directors (PDs) to assess demographics, components and length of parental leave, perceived impact on residents' clinical training and academic development, and barriers to increasing the length of leave.ResultsWe contacted 163 PDs and received 54 responses (response rate of 33%). 87% reported policies for both childbearing and non-childbearing residents. The average maximal length of leave allowed without extension of training was 8.5 weeks (range 0-13) for childbearing and 6.2 weeks (range 0-13) for non-childbearing residents. Most PDs felt that parental leave had a positive impact on resident wellness and neutral impact on clinical competency, academic opportunities, and career development. The most common barriers to providing a 12-week paid policy were concerns about equity in the program (82%), staffing of clinical services (80%), and impact on clinical training (78%).ConclusionsAlthough most programs in our study have parental leave policies, there is significant variability. Policies to improve parental leave should focus on addressing common barriers, such as additional solutions to staffing clinical services.
| S-EPMC11003009 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Purpose: Severe racial inequities in maternal and infant health in the United States are caused by the many forms of systemic racism. One manifestation of systemic racism that has received little attention is access to paid parental leave. The aim of this article is to characterize racial/ethnic inequities in access to paid leave after the birth of a child. Methods: We analyzed data on women who were employed during pregnancy (n=908) from the Bay Area Parental Leave Study of Mothers, a survey of mothers who gave birth in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2016-2017. We examined differences in access to government- and employer-paid leave, the duration of leave taken, and the percent of usual pay received while on leave. To explore these differences, we further examined knowledge of paid leave benefits and sources of information. Results: Non-Hispanic (NH) black and Hispanic women had significantly less access to paid leave through their employers or through government programs than their NH white and Asian counterparts. Relative to white women, Asian, Hispanic, and black women received 0.9 (p<0.05), 2.0 (p<0.01), and 3.6 (p<0.01) fewer weeks, respectively, of full-pay equivalent pay during their parental leaves. Despite inequitable access to paid leave, the duration of parental leave taken did not differ by race/ethnicity. Conclusions: Inequitable access to paid parental leave through both employers and government programs exacerbates racial inequities at birth. This form of structural racism could be addressed by policies expanding access to paid leave.
| S-EPMC8665807 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveTo evaluate and compare parental leave policies from the top United States (US) hospitals with a focus on inclusivity of all types of parents.MethodsIn September and October of 2021, the parental leave policies of the top 20 US hospitals, ranked by the 2021 US News & World report, were evaluated. Parental leave policies were obtained and reviewed through the hospitals' public websites. Hospitals' Human Relations (HR) departments were contacted to confirm the policies. Hospital policies were scored against a rubric created by the authors.ResultsAmong the top US hospitals (21 total hospitals), 17 (81%) had publicly available policies, and one policy was obtained by contacting HR. Fourteen of the 18 hospitals (77.8%) had a parental leave policy distinctive from short-term disability and offered paid paternity or partner leave. Thirteen hospitals (72.2%) offered parental leave for parents whose children were carried through surrogacy. Fourteen hospitals (77.8%) included adoptive parents; however, only five hospitals (27.8%) specifically included foster parents. The average paid leave for birthing mothers was 7.9 weeks compared to 6.6 weeks for nonbirthing parents. Only three hospitals offered the same leave for birthing and nonbirthing parents.ConclusionWhile a few of the top 20 hospitals have paid parental leave policies that are inclusive and equivalent to all parents, many do not and represent an area for improvement. As healthcare industry leaders, these hospitals should strive for inclusive parental leave policies that care for their employees with the same high standards they set for caring for patients.
| S-EPMC10122222 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Since 2017, San Francisco's Paid Parental Leave Ordinance (PPLO) has allowed parents who work for private-sector employers to take 6 weeks of fully paid postnatal parental leave. Previous studies have linked paid parental leave with health improvements for birthing people and babies, although evidence for birth outcomes is limited. We hypothesized that the PPLO may have improved birth outcomes via reduced stress during pregnancy due to anticipation of increased financial security and postnatal leave. We used linked California birth certificate and hospital discharge records from January 2013 to December 2018 (n = 1,420,781). We used quasi-experimental difference-in-difference (DD) models to compare outcomes among SF births before and after PPLO to outcomes among births in control counties. Births from January 2017 through December 2018 among working San Francisco (SF) people were considered "exposed" to PPLO; births during this time among working people outside of SF, as well as all births before 2017, served as controls. We conducted subgroup analyses by race/ethnicity, education and Medicaid coverage at delivery. Overall analyses adjusting for covariates and indicators for time and seasonality indicated no association between PPLO and birth outcomes. Our results indicate that PPLO may not have affected the birth outcomes we examined among marginalized groups who, due to structural racism, are at heightened risk of poor outcomes. We speculate that this result is due to the PPLO's design and focus on postnatal leave. Future work should examine the policy's effects on other outcomes.
| S-EPMC9565022 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Access to paid family and medical leave ("paid leave") has bipartisan support among lawmakers in the United States, but the issue remains stalled on the public policy agenda. The U.S. does not currently have a federal paid leave policy, and unpaid leave-guaranteed by the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993-is all that is available to the majority of workers. In this study, we examine the content of local television news as representations of, and potential influence on, paid leave policy agendas. To do so, we analyze the extent to which local television news coverage describes the problem of lack of employment leave, and whether coverage highlights public policy as a solution. We use data from local television stations affiliated with the four major networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX) in all 210 media markets in the U.S. during a period pre-pandemic, from October 2018 until July 2019. We find that 64% of local television news coverage related to paid leave discussed the issue in the context of public policy. Coverage more often cited early-stage policy actions such as a policy idea - reflected in 40% of stories discussing stages of public policymaking - or the introduction of a bill - detailed in 22% of these stories. This coverage aligns with actual policy activity at the state-level during the same time period. News coverage infrequently included elements that could shape public understanding of paid leave as a population health issue, such as including health-related sources of providers or researchers. Policymakers, advocates, and researchers looking to advance public support for paid leave should consider efforts to use local television news as a vehicle to present health and policy-relevant information to broad segments of the public and set the agenda for policy reform.
| S-EPMC8164082 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionPaid family leave (PFL) has the potential to reduce persistent health disparities. This study aims to characterize differences in access to paid leave by industry sector and occupational class.MethodsThe Bay Area Parental Leave Survey of Mothers included respondents 18 years of age or older who worked in the San Francisco Bay Area and gave birth from 2016 to 2017. Using linear probability models, we examined differences in five separate measures of PFL by industry sector and occupational class. We extended our regression analysis to simulate the full pay equivalent (FPE) weeks of leave that would have been taken under hypothetical scenarios of increased uptake and wage replacement rates.ResultsOur study included 806 women in private for-profit or non-profit jobs. In fully adjusted models, blue-collar workers were 10.9% less likely to take 12 weeks of paid parental leave versus white-collar workers (95% CI: -25.9, 4.1). Respondents were 19.2% less likely receive 100% of their regular pay if they worked in education and health services (-29.1, -9.3) and 17.0% less likely if they worked in leisure and hospitality (-29.5, -4.4) versus respondents in professional and financial services. Respondents in leisure and hospitality reported 1.6 fewer FPE weeks of leave versus respondents in professional and financial services (-2.73, -0.42) and blue-collar respondents reported an average of 1.5 fewer FPE weeks versus white-collar workers (-2.66, -0.42). In our simulation analysis, when we manipulated rates of uptake for paid leave, the disparities in FPE by industry sector and occupational class were eliminated.ConclusionWe observed substantial inequities in access to paid leave by industry sector and occupational class. These findings underscore the potential importance of universal PFL programs with universal benefits to reduce clear inequities that persist within the labor market today.
| S-EPMC8971637 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundResearch into how medical schools support students who are pregnant or with current parental responsibilities has been mostly limited to the US context.ObjectivesTo review pregnancy and parental leave policies for students at Australian/New Zealand medical schools.DesignA cross-sectional survey.MethodsData were collected between June and September 2021. Websites of Australian/New Zealand medical schools (n = 23) were searched for freely available information on pregnancy and parental leave policies. Each school was contacted to provide supplementary information on the processes to support students who apply for pregnancy and/or parental leave. Outcome harvesting techniques were used to analyse the key attributes and processes used by medical schools.ResultsNone of the 23 accredited Australian/New Zealand medical schools had specific pregnancy and/or parental leave policies. Fourteen of the 23 Australian/New Zealand medical schools responded to the request for more information. All confirmed, beyond their University's general student leave policies, they had no additional pregnancy and parental leave policy. Analysis of each school's processes identified the following themes: lack of school specific pregnancy and/or parental leave policies; lack of public statements of support for medical students who are pregnant and/or with current parental responsibilities; and lack of attention to the specific needs of medical students who are pregnant and/or with current parental responsibilities, including those with pregnant partners or are a birth support person.ConclusionThere was a lack of documentation and formalized processes related to the support of this group of students. By creating easily accessible information on pregnancy and parental leave which is nuanced to the challenges of medical school and clinical placements, medical schools and medical education accreditation bodies in Australia/New Zealand can address the needs of medical students who are pregnant and/or with current parental responsibilities and normalize pregnancy and parental status within entry-to-practice medical courses.
| S-EPMC9751152 | biostudies-literature
Project description:COVID-19 workplace mitigation strategies implemented within US businesses have been effective at preventing disease and protecting workers, but the extent of their use is not well understood. We examined reported COVID-19 workplace mitigation strategies by business size, geographic region, and industry using internet panel survey data from US adult respondents working full- or part-time outside the home (fall 2020, N = 1168) andfull- or part-time, inside or outside the home (fall 2021, N = 1778). We used chi-square tests to assess the differences in the strategies used (e.g., masking and COVID-19 screening) and ANOVA tests to examine the group differences on a mitigation strategies summative score. Fewer COVID-19 mitigation strategies were reported by respondents in fall 2021 (compared to fall 2020) across businesses of different sizes and regions. The participants in microbusinesses (1-10 employees) reported significantly (p < 0.05) lower mitigation scores than all other business sizes, and the respondents in these businesses were significantly less likely (p < 0.05) to have paid leave than those in enterprises with >10 employees. The healthcare and education sectors had the highest reported mean score of COVID-19 workplace mitigation strategies. Small and essential businesses are critical to the US economy. Insight is needed on their use of mitigation strategies to protect workers during the current and future pandemics.
| S-EPMC9956394 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectivesThis study aimed to evaluate whether the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) modified the association between pre-existing state paid sick leave (PSL) and weekday workplace mobility between February 15 and July 7, 2020.Study designThis was a longitudinal, observational study.MethodsThe 50 US states and Washington, D.C., were divided into exposure groups based on the presence or absence of pre-existing state PSL policies. Derived from Google COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports, the outcome was measured as the daily percent change in weekday workplace mobility. Mixed-effects, interrupted time series regression was performed to evaluate weekday workplace mobility after the implementation of the FFCRA on April 1, 2020.ResultsStates with pre-existing PSL policies exhibited a greater drop in mobility following the passage of the FFCRA (β = -8.86, 95% confidence interval: -11.6, -6.10, P < 001). This remained significant after adjusting for state-level health, economic, and sociodemographic indicators (β = -3.13, 95% confidence interval: -5.92, -0.34; P = .039).ConclusionsPre-existing PSL policies were associated with a significant decline in weekday workplace mobility after the FFCRA, which may have influenced local health outcomes. The presence of pre-existing state policies may differentially influence the impact of federal legislation enacted during emergencies.
| S-EPMC9464594 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S prompted abrupt and dramatic changes to social contact patterns. Monitoring changing social behavior is essential to provide reliable input data for mechanistic models of infectious disease, which have been increasingly used to support public health policy to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic. While some studies have reported on changing contact patterns throughout the pandemic, few have reported differences in contact patterns among key demographic groups and none have reported nationally representative estimates. We conducted a national probability survey of US households and collected information on social contact patterns during two time periods: August-December 2020 (before widespread vaccine availability) and March-April 2021 (during national vaccine rollout). Overall, contact rates in Spring 2021 were similar to those in Fall 2020, with most contacts reported at work. Persons identifying as non-White, non-Black, non-Asian, and non-Hispanic reported high numbers of contacts relative to other racial and ethnic groups. Contact rates were highest in those reporting occupations in retail, hospitality and food service, and transportation. Those testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies reported a higher number of daily contacts than those who were seronegative. Our findings provide evidence for differences in social behavior among demographic groups, highlighting the profound disparities that have become the hallmark of the COVID-19 pandemic.
| S-EPMC9242729 | biostudies-literature