Statement by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on data from American Time Use Survey regarding employer leave policies

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' release of the Leave Module section of the 2011 American Time Use Survey:

"More women are in the workforce than ever before. Whether led by a single parent working two jobs or two parents working night shifts, families continue to struggle to meet the demands of caregiving responsibilities. Too often, many workers, particularly those who are struggling to make ends meet, have to choose between taking time off to care for a sick child or losing desperately needed wages.

"Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has released, for the first time ever, findings related to employer leave policies and their use by employees as part of the 2011 American Time Use Survey.

"This important research, sponsored by the Department of Labor's Women's Bureau, provides a wealth of data regarding workers' access to and use of leave.

"Addressing the data gaps in this area is long overdue. We are looking forward to engaging in an in-depth analysis of the survey results. And we hope these findings will be useful to the community of researchers and advocacy groups that is focused on improving the lives and economic security of our working families."

Editor's note: The Leave Module findings are available at http://www.bls.gov.