MI Paid Leave for All Coalition weighs in on reports released by LEO on Friday 

The MI Paid Leave for All Coalition issued the following statements on two new reports released Oct. 25 by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. The reports highlight the positive economic, health and employment outcomes that could be achieved if Michigan were to implement a paid family and medical leave program for working Michiganders and their families.

“These reports confirm what we already knew: that a paid family and medical leave program would be transformational for workers, families and businesses here in Michigan,” said Danielle Atkinson, the National Executive Director and Founder of Mothering Justice. “Providing our state’s workers with the time away that they need for critical caregiving responsibilities will make Michigan families, businesses and our economy stronger as a whole. The time is now for Michigan to join the 13 states that have already passed paid family and medical leave laws.”

“There are very real costs that have come with inaction on paid leave, including wage and job losses for workers and families, worse health outcomes, higher healthcare costs, talent losses for businesses, and a negative impact on the state economy,” said Monique Stanton, President and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy. “These reports coupled with the actuarial analysis released earlier this year lay out a rock solid case for why it’s time to take action on paid leave. They show that paid leave is not only affordable and sustainable, but also the right thing to do for the people who call Michigan home and the smart thing to do for our state.”

“The expected costs of implementing a state paid leave program are far outweighed by the positive impacts this type of program would have on workers and families here in Michigan, especially when it comes to their health,” said Mallory Applewhite, Vice President of Community Impact with the American Heart Association-Michigan. “The positive maternal and infant health outcomes, in particular, speak volumes about how paid parental leave can make a meaningful difference in the lives of new parents, while ensuring children get a strong start during the most critical time in their development.”

“As a business owner, these reports really ease my mind. The evidence continues to show me that paid family and medical leave will benefit my staff and me,” said Kai Young, owner of Squiggles & Giggles Early Childhood Learning Center, LLC in Detroit.

Additional Information on New Reports:
One report, titled Paid Family Medical Leave: Health & Employment Outcomes by Patricia Stoddard-Dare, PhD, delves into the evidence from many peer-reviewed studies that show that paid family and medical leave programs result in a decrease in poverty and less reliance on social safety net programs, while having a positive or neutral influence on employees’ earnings. From a business perspective, the report also shows that paid family and medical leave programs have resulted in an increase in attachment to the workforce, have not impacted business productivity and have had a positive or neutral impact on business profitability.

A second report, Economic and Health Impacts of Paid Parental, Caregiving, and Medical Leave by Karen Kling, H. Luke Shaefer and Betsey Stevenson with the University of Michigan’s Poverty Solutions, supports many of the same findings regarding improved economic well-being for families, while also demonstrating that there is growing evidence that paid family and medical leave plays an important role in protecting the health of workers and their families. 

A recent poll presented by Progress Michigan shows that 71% of Michiganders support a paid family and medical leave program and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer identified it as one of her top legislative priorities last fall. Legislation to implement a paid family and medical leave program (SB 332-333 and HB 4574-4575) was introduced in the Michigan Legislature in May 2023, but the bills have yet to receive a committee hearing.