Those choices can also create financial benefits for families. Paternity leave reduces the gender wage gap within households by increasing mothers’ wages in the short term and helping to increase total household financial well-being in the long term.11 Research conducted on roughly 9,000 families observed parental pay one year prior to childbirth... See more

A prevailing argument against a paid family leave policy is that it hurts employers. “Pro-business” tax cuts and incentives, the thinking goes, are a better way to ensure workers get time off when they need it. But a study released by the National Bureau of Economic Research in April suggests that taxpayer-funded paid family leave does not harm... See more

Good mental health in mothers can also mean they’re in a better position to return to work and earn. In the UK, dads taking paternity leave is strongly associated with mothers’ well-being three months after the birth and in France, research suggests that paternity leave can mean more infant care from fathers and consequently mums less likely to... See more