Guide to Evaluating Paid Family and Medical Leave Policies
Paid family and medical leave (PFML) policies allow workers to attend to a range of family and caregiver responsibilities without losing needed income. While the federal government offers no guaranteed PFML, multiple states have expanded access to it, and these policies are in various stages of implementation.
This guide provides tools to support policymakers, state administrators, and staff as they evaluate PFML policies in their states. You can use the guide to evaluate policies that have already been enacted and/or to plan for evaluations in the future. It can support a multi-stage, comprehensive evaluation, or specific sections can be used to support more targeted evaluations.
The guide is organized around three points in time within the policy development and implementation process: 1) pre-implementation, 2) early implementation, and 3) late implementation. For each timepoint, we provide an overview of key considerations for evaluation, essential questions to ask as part of an evaluation, and metrics that could be used to answer these questions. We also highlight additional data that states could collect and analyze to better understand access to PFML, and identify potential data sources.
Supporting Access Across Populations
Research shows PFML policies have the potential to address disparities in who has access to paid leave and its associated benefits. As states create and implement new PFML policies, they should consider how specific groups of people or types of employers are accessing and benefiting from the policy. Throughout this guide we provide select examples of populations that states might consider when evaluating their PFML policies. These examples are informed by what research says about access to PFML (and other public benefit programs) and the potential benefits of PFML.
Use the guide to learn more about the evaluation considerations for each time point in the policy development and implementation process and the associated essential questions. Click on an essential question to view the recommended metrics for that question.
The Guide
Pre-implementation stage
How will potential beneficiaries learn about this benefit?
What is the application process for this benefit?
What is the appeals process for this benefit?
How will beneficiaries receive this benefit?
How will employers learn about this benefit?
What are the requirements for employers whose employees may receive this benefit?
How will the outcomes and impact of this policy be evaluated in the future?
How have interested parties been engaged in decision making related to policy implementation?
Early implementation stage
How has the policy been publicized?
To what extent is the general public aware of the policy? Who is less aware?
To what extent are employers aware of the policy? Who is less aware?
Who is applying for the benefit? Who is not applying?
Who is receiving the benefit? Who is not receiving the benefit?
What are facilitators and barriers to accessing this benefit for families?
What are facilitators and barriers to employers ensuring access to family leave benefits for employees?
What are facilitators and barriers to administering this benefit for state agencies, administrators, and staff?
Late implementation stage
What effect has this policy had on children’s health outcomes?
What effect has this policy had on prenatal and birthing outcomes?
What effect has this policy had on breastfeeding?
What effect has this policy had on mental and behavioral health outcomes for caregivers?
What effect has this policy had on families’ economic security and stability?
What effect has this policy had on families’ access to and use of child care and early education?
What effect has this policy had on employers and the workforce?
Acknowledgements:
The authors are grateful to the following individuals for their feedback on the ideas in this guide: Kristen Harper, Dana Thomson, Jenn Rogers, Stephen Russ, Elena Rodriguez Anderson, Courtney Joslin, and Ian Pfeiffer. They are also grateful to Kylee Novak for fact checking and copyediting support.
All authors contributed equally to this guide.
Suggested citation:
Carlson, J., Falletta, K., & Steber, K. (2025). Guide to evaluating paid family and medical leave policies. Child Trends. DOI: 10.56417/7238t1395l