Welcome to the Bridge Policy Download produced by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

Today, we’re bringing you the audio from a recent virtual congressional briefing we held on the best arguments for and against paid federal leave.

It is often noted that the United States is the only industrialized country without a federal paid leave program. While true, Dr. Veronique de Rugy points out that this doesn't necessarily mean that women in countries that have such government-mandated programs are doing better than women in the United States. In this Congressional staff briefing, de Rugy weighs in on expected outcomes of various proposed federal paid leave programs, based on a review of research from other countries. She also responds to each point in favor of a federal paid leave program with unanswered questions, the expected impact on women, and unintended consequences.

If you’d like to contact a scholar involved in this briefing, please email [email protected]

If you'd prefer to watch the video from this virtual briefing, click here. 

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