Thursday, June 9, 2011, 12:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.

Local, state and federal level efforts to enact legislation mandating paid sick or family leave and flexible work arrangements are often resisted on the grounds that they would impose costly burdens on employers and threaten the availability of jobs. Yet, new and ongoing research points to labor policy innovation that promotes work-family balance having the expected beneficial impacts without jeopardizing overall employment.

The Center for Economic and Policy Research and the Economic Policy Institute are hosting a forum examining the issues of paid family and sick leave in the United States, while exploring the Australian example of mandating paid parental leave along with the right to request flexible work arrangements.

Presenters:

Marian Baird is Professor of Work and Organizations and Director of the Women and Work Research Group at the University of Sydney Business School.

Eileen Appelbaum, PhD, Center for Economic and Policy Research

Elise Gould, PhD, Economic Policy Institute