Paid Family and Medical Leave: Policy Statement
Christiane E.L. Dammann, Kimberly Móntez, Mala Mathur, Sherri L. Alderman, Maya Bunik, Andrea E. Green, Alexy D. Arauz Boudreau, Percita Loren Ellis, Christopher S. Greeley, Joyce R. Javier, Gerri Mattson, Mala Mathur, Rita Nathawad, Mikah Owen, Kenya Maria Parks, Christopher B. Peltier, Laura Conklin, Dipesh Navsaria, Chidiogo Anyigbo, Mariana Glusman, James P. Guevara, Andrew N. Hashikawa, Anna Miller-Fitzwater, Bergen B. Nelson, Hilda Loria, Nicole Garro, Dina Lieser, Rebecca Parlakian, Maritza Gomez, SECTION ON BREASTFEEDING, Maya Bunik, Sahira Long, Emily Hannon, Ann Kellams, Temitope Awelewa, Tara Williams, Sharon Mass, Larry Noble, Jennifer Thomas, Joan Younger Meek, Lori Feldman‐Winter, Julie Ware, Kera Beskin, Lauren Barone, SECTION ON NEONATAL PERINATAL MEDICINE, Munish Gupta, Clara Song, Lily Lou, James S. Barry, Alexis S. Davis, Brian Hackett, John Loyd, Craig A. Nankervis, Ravi Patel, Joshua E. Petrikin, Shetal N. Shah, Wendy Timpson, Michael A. Posencheg, Jim Couto
Abstract
Paid family and medical leave (PFML) helps parents balance the competing obligations of work, personal illness, and family. PFML is needed when adding a new member of the family or when a family member or individual becomes acutely or chronically ill. The United States lacks universally available PFML, despite the benefits for child and family health and well-being. Universally available PFML is a key component of improving the health of children and families and is critically needed in the United States.