A Health Podyssey

Health Affairs Editor-in-Chief Alan Weil interviews Jody Heymann from the University of California, Los Angeles joins A Health Podyssey to talk about access to paid and unpaid sick leave, why the US stands alone globally in having a limited safety net for sick leave — and what it means for population health.

Show Notes

Most office workers think of paid sick leave as a benefit for them and their family members, but there are societal benefits to paid sick leave as well.

Since 1993, the United States has guaranteed access to unpaid sick leave through the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) but that guarantee leaves out a large number of workers. A growing number of US states and localities have sought to fill-in some gaps of the FMLA, but many remain.

Jody Heymann from the University of California, Los Angeles joins A Health Podyssey to talk about access to sick leave, both paid and unpaid.

Heymann and colleagues published a paper in the September 2021 issue of Health Affairs documenting how FMLA eligibility requirements contribute to racial and ethnic disparities. They found that FMLA eligibility restrictions exclude over half of private sector and self-employed workers from coverage. In addition, they found higher rates of exclusion among female black, Indigenous and multi-racial workers.

Join the conversation and listen as Health Affairs Editor-in-Chief Alan Weil interviews Jody Heymann about why the US stands alone globally in having such a limited safety net for sick leave — and what it means for population health.

If you like this interview, order the September issue of Health Affairs.

Order the October Perinatal Mental Health Theme Issue.

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What is A Health Podyssey?

Each week, Health Affairs Editor-in-Chief Alan Weil brings you in-depth conversations with leading researchers and influencers shaping the big ideas in health policy and the health care industry.

A Health Podyssey goes beyond the pages of the health policy journal Health Affairs to tell stories behind the research and share policy implications. Learn how academics and economists frame their research questions and journey to the intersection of health, health care, and policy. Health policy nerds rejoice! This podcast is for you.