The Clark-Fox Policy Institute of the Brown School at Washington University hosted a virtual panel discussion regarding the importance of paid leave policies for families. A variety of influential figures, including representatives from local organizations and the City of St. Louis Mayor’s Office took part in this event. The discussion encouraged employers to review their policies and employees to advocate for improved family-friendly conditions.

The event also paved way for the release of a three-part series policy brief aiming to educate businesses on implementing family-friendly work policies. The focus was on the benefit portfolio that protects the income of employees when they need to take time off to care for their family or themselves.

Current statistics, however, paint a grim picture. Just 27% of workers have access to paid leave, and low wage workers, including women and people of colour, only have a 6% chance of accessing such benefits. Panelists highlighted the problems associated with this, such as the strain on the Early Childhood Education system due to lack of provision for paid parental leaves, leading to stressed and overworked parents.

Adopting paid leave policies not only helps the employee’s physical and mental health, but also benefits businesses and the economy. They experience improved productivity, lower turnover, and the community gets a boost from maintained physical health. Gary Parker from Clark-Fox Policy Institute pointed out that offering paid leaves to parents supports the local economy and allows parents to balance their professional and family responsibilities better.

Meanwhile, if you’re needing assistance to claim your Paid Family Leave benefits, you may reach out to eddcaller.com. It offers solutions on how to get a hold of Paid Family Leave.