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Using data from the 2018 Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Employee Survey, the paper explores patterns of needing and taking leave from work for a family or medical reason—either for one’s own health, or to care for someone else. The 2018 FMLA Employee Survey asks U.S. employees about their need for leave for a family or medical reason, whether they took leave, and their experiences while on leave—all for the twelve months prior to the survey. This paper begins by exploring patterns in needing and taking leave between women and men. It then explores how these patterns vary between single and partnered women.

Key Takeaways

• Compared to men, more women need leave (24 percent versus 17 percent) and take leave (18 percent versus 14 percent).
• Yet more women than men still have unmet need for leave (9 percent versus 6 percent).
• Women and men need and take leave from work for the same reasons. Among all leave needers, approximately 50 percent need leave for their own health, 30 percent to care for someone else, and 20 percent for a new child.
• The average length of women’s leaves is longer than men’s (34 days versus 21 days), primarily because women take longer leaves for a new child (54 days versus 18 days).
• While on leave, substantially fewer women than men receive full pay (32 percent versus 55 percent), and more receive no pay (41 percent versus 25 percent). These differences are not exclusively driven by women taking longer leaves.
• Among women, single and partnered women take leave at the same rate (approximately 18 percent), and take equally long leaves (approximately 33 days), but more single women take leave for their own health (60 percent versus 46 percent).
• Compared to partnered women, more single women receive no pay while on leave (52 percent versus 33 percent), and more lose their job because of taking leave (15 percent versus 3 percent).

Citation

Herr, J., Roy, R., Klerman, J.A. (2020). Abt Associates. Gender Differences in Needing and Taking Leave. Chief Evaluation Office, U.S. Department of Labor.

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The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) sponsors independent evaluations and research, primarily conducted by external, third-party contractors in accordance with the Department of Labor Evaluation Policy and CEO’s research development process.