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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Priya Sharma, MPH1, Eugene R Declercq, PhD2, and Claudine Post1. (1) Department of Maternal and Child Health, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, T5W, Boston, MA 02118-2526, (617) 638-5375, ps59@cornell.edu, (2) Maternal and Child Health Department, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St., Boston, MA 02118
While the United States remains one of the only industrialized countries in the world to not have a national law or regulation providing for paid parental leave, several states (NY, CA, NJ, RI, HI) have taken steps to guarantee at least some form of paid leave. In the 2001 -2002 legislative session, the state of Massachusetts considered several options for developing funded parental leave. This paper examines the public health, economic and, most importantly in this case, political factors that shaped the debate over parental leave in the Massachusetts legislature with the goal of enhancing understanding of the public health policymaking process at the state level. The context for the Massachusetts policy initiative was in some ways typical, as in its consideration of alternative funding mechanisms (unemployment insurance versus temporary disability funds versus general funds). The Massachusetts case was also unique since during the debate the acting Governor of the state, Jane Swift, gave birth to twins and stayed home with her children on a fully-paid ($2500/week) working maternity leave for 10 weeks. The analysis is based on interviews with participants in the process and examination of documents, reports and media coverage of the process.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.