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It has been shown that when companies offer maternity leave or family leave that employees tend to stay with those companies. For example, "...Google expanded its parental leave policy from 12 to 18 weeks in 2007, the retention rate of women post-maternity leave increased by 50 percent." (By: Terri Rhodes | July 18 et al., 2018). It has been found that when companies offer family leave then the employees in return feel valued which makes them want to stay with the company. An example of this point states this, "A 2016 Deloitte survey reported that seventy-seven percent of employees said the amount of paid parental leave had some influence on their choice of employer. Fifty percent said they’d rather have more parental leave than a pay raise." (By: Terri Rhodes | July 18 et al., 2018). Overall, a higher retention rate saves the company money by not having to train new employees coming in as well as helps employees want to stay at these companies.

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When parents are offered family leave they are able to spend more time with the baby, thus, lowering the infant mortality rate. According to a source, "The 2004 Paid Family Leave program in California has been associated with improved rates of breastfeeding and decreased hospitalizations for abusive head trauma." (Montoya‐Williams et al., 2020). Another example of how the infant mortality rate is lowered is that by guaranteeing the parent a job when they come back it may reduce the stress of the parent, and therefore help the baby not be a preterm birth or have low birth weight, both of which can be detrimental to a baby's health.

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Feeling the brunt of no guaranteed maternity leave

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The United States is one of a very few developed countries that doesn't promise paid leave to new parents. Tony Dokoupil spoke with a mother who wishes the U.S. would catch up with the rest of the world.

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When looking at family leave businesses often say how family leave would hurt them because of the costs, but when you look at it closely, they're actually saving money. According to this next source, "Reducing the high cost of turnover and the associated training costs for new hires are another benefit of a maternity leave policy. A maternity leave policy can be a powerful attractant to job seekers." (How maternity leave works: The Employer's Guide 2019).

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#4. Paid Family Leave is Gender Neutral and More Equal

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#4. Paid Family Leave is Gender Neutral and More Equal

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As we know, it isn't just mothers that need maternity leave, but the parents in general. By offering paid family leave it makes it inclusive to all people who are parents, and not just mothers. For example, "Companies like Facebook and Google now offer generous packages like baby cash bonuses and several months’ leave for both moms and dads, but those policies are the exceptions. Today only 12% of private-sector workers have access to paid family leave through their employer, according to the U.S. Department of Labor." (05 et al., 2016). By offering paid family leave to both parents it not only helps boast the companies, but it also helps the child's wellbeing.

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What can we do to help push the United States towards requiring paid family leave? There are petitions going around that you can sign that want to force employers to offer paid family leave, you can also write a letter to congress stating why we should mandate paid family leave. Another resource to look at is  Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) .

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The FMLA entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave.

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By: Terri Rhodes | July 18, Rhodes, T., Terri L. Rhodes is CEO of the Disability Management Employer Coalition. Terri was an Absence and Disability Management Consultant for Mercer, 1, B. P. | N., Paradigm, By: R&I Editorial Team | November 1, & Team, R. I. E. (2018, August 14). Paid family leave is increasing employee retention rates. Risk & Insurance. Retrieved November 10, 2022, from https://riskandinsurance.com/paid-family-leave-is-increasing-employee-retention-rates/#:~:text=According%20to%20its%20most%20recent%20analysis%2C%20the%20leading,of%20women%20post-maternity%20leave%20increased%20by%2050%20percent.

Montoya‐Williams, D., Passarella, M., & Lorch, S. A. (2020). The impact of paid family leave in the United States on birth outcomes and mortality in the first year of life. Health Services Research, 55(S2), 807–814. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6773.13288

CBS Interactive. (2021). CBS News. Retrieved November 6, 2022, from https://www.cbsnews.com/video/feeling-the-brunt-of-no-guaranteed-maternity-leave/#x.

How maternity leave works: The Employer's Guide. Workest. (2019, August 31). Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://www.zenefits.com/workest/how-maternity-leave-works-the-employers-guide/

05, M., | by Lily B. Clausen, Clausen, L. B., & Strober, M. H. (2016, May 5). An Economist's take on why parental leave matters. Stanford Graduate School of Business. Retrieved November 8, 2022, from https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/economists-take-why-parental-leave-matters

Family and medical leave act. United States Department of Labor. (n.d.). Retrieved November 16, 2022, from https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla