Why paid family leave may not pay for many new moms

In California, the 2004 Paid Family Leave Act provides new mothers six partially paid weeks of bonding time with their children. It’s designed to help working moms keep up their income after having a child. 

But a new study examining the effect of the paid leave policy found that it may have hurt new moms financially. The study found they lost on average $24,000 in wages in the 10 years after the law took effect.

Credits

Guest:

  • Elena Patel - Professor of Finance at the University of Utah

Host:

Madeleine Brand

Producers:

Sarah Sweeney, Michell Eloy, Alexandra Sif Tryggvadottir, Rosalie Atkinson, Brian Hardzinski, Caleigh Wells, Rebecca Mooney