Fifth anniversary of California Paid Leave

On July 1, California celebrates the fifth anniversary of its landmark paid leave legislation.  Five years ago this week, California became the first state in the nation to provide wage replacement to workers who take time for family and caregiving responsibilities.  Whatever one thinks of paid leave, as Washington considers its own versions, this important anniversary deserves attention and I hope that light can be shined on the importance of creative public policy to help workers balance their lives.  Five years later, there are still many questions to be answered about the overall effectiveness of the paid leave program.  However, it is undeniable that work family conflicts are real and growing. There is a mismatch between the needs of families and the structure of work.  Workplace flexibility is needed and creative public policy is part of the solution to benefit workers, their families and employers.