Paid family leave headlines the last couple days have focused on a report published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association that California's first-in-the-nation paid family leave program goes largely unused and unnoticed among the population most expected to use it -- parents of chronically ill children.
Since our state's as-yet unfunded, unimplemented paid family leave program is modeled at least in part on California's, the JAMA report adds interesting empirical data to the policy discussion that is certain to occur here in 2009. Proponents will say that more money or regulation is needed to get the word out. Others will wonder if the program is necessary or has sufficient social impact to justify its costs.
Expect that to be a major consideration next session as lawmakers look for a funding source in the face of a $2.7 billion + revenue shortfall.
