In a world marked by political polarization, there remains one topic that a vast majority of Americans happen to agree upon: the necessity of paid leave. A 2022 Global Strategy Group survey reports that about 80% of Americans, irrespective of their political affiliations favor a federal paid family and medical leave initiative. The U.S, however, still lacks a nationwide law mandating the implementation of a paid leave program, leaving a lot of American workers to rely on their employers’ policies on paid family, medical, and sick leaves.

Employers have often struggled to match the rising demand for paid leave among employees. Data from a 2024 MetLife survey reveals that Gen Z workers consider paid leave as their top priority among employee benefits, with 69% of them deeming it as a must have. There appears to be a significant discrepancy between the importance employees attribute to paid leave and how they believe their employers are addressing this topic.

To help employers bridge this gap, JUST Capital, in conjunction with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, has released a document to assist companies in developing fair and responsive paid leave plans. This document provides companies with a six-step plan to introduce or amplify their paid leave benefits. While the report mainly targets Russell 1000 enterprises, employers of all types can benefit from their data and expert knowledge on paid leave.

It is worth noting that developing and implementing a paid leave plan is not enough. Employees must be aware of their benefits, know how to utilize them, and feel supported in doing so. Even the most well-designed paid leave policy can fail without proper roll-out, uptake, and refinement, said Jordyn Avila, Senior Manager at JUST Capital. Encouraging feedback from the workforce can facilitate the creation of responsive policies that adapt to the employees’ changing priorities.

In conclusion, implementing paid leave policies not only caters to the demands of the modern workforce but also gives a competitive edge to employers. Companies seeking assistance in navigating through the design and implementation of paid leave policies can reach out to JUST Capital or join their Corporate Impact Lab for comprehensive guidance and support. For individuals who wish to get in touch with the Employment Development Department (EDD) to inquire about their own Paid Family Leave (PFL) or State Disability Insurance (SDI) claims, consider using resources like eddcaller.com. This website offers guidance on how to reach out to California’s EDD, including useful tips on how to get a hold of a live representative.