About the Brief

Download Brief

The participation rate of mothers in the labor force has increased significantly over the last four decades with an estimated 71% participating in 2014 compared to 47% in 1975. Similarly, the share of households with mothers of children under the age of 18 as the sole or primary income earner has grown substantially, increasing from 11% in 1960 to 40% in 2011.

However, while the role of mothers as sole or primary income earners in the household has increased significantly over time, time use data suggest that mothers continue to be the primary caregivers. The Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) has played an important role in supporting mothers in balancing their family and career obligations. Previous research has found positive associations between the use of FMLA leave and improved health outcomes for newborn children, including increased birth weights, increased rates of breastfeeding, and decreased infant mortality. However, a considerable number of working mothers are ineligible for FMLA and its associated benefits. The brief explores FMLA eligibility among working mothers, and the reasons and likelihood of taking leave using data from the 2012 U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) FMLA Employee Survey.

Key Takeaways

Many working mothers ages 18 to 34 were not eligible for FMLA in 2012, with only about a half (50.5%) of mothers qualifying for job-protected unpaid leave compared with 65.6% of those ages 45 to 54 (the age group of mothers with the highest eligibility) and 59.9% for non-mothers.

When compared to non-mothers, young mothers (ages 18 to 34) are significantly more likely (25.6 percentage points) to have taken leave within the prior 12 months than older working mothers ages 35 to 44 (11.6 percentage points).

• Across all age groups, working mothers are most likely to take leave for their own health, with an average of 22.7% of working mothers taking this type of leave. A notable exception is evident for working mothers ages 18 to 34 who are most likely to take leave to care for a new child (41.9%).

Citation

IMPAQ International. (2017). Qualifying for Unpaid Leave: FMLA Eligibility among Working Mothers. Issue Brief—Worker Leave Analysis and Simulation Series. Chief Evaluation Office, U.S. Department of Labor.

Download Brief

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.