Paid family leave and the fight against hunger : evidence from New York

Kim, Jiyoon and Lenhart, Otto (2024) Paid family leave and the fight against hunger : evidence from New York. Health Economics, 33 (7). pp. 1503-1527. ISSN 1057-9230 (https://doi.org/10.1002/hec.4818)

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Abstract

We examine the effects of New York’s paid family leave (PFL) policy, introduced in January 2018, on food security. While researchers evaluating PFL policies in the past have mostly focused on employment and health outcomes, we believe that an improved understanding of potential impacts on food security is pivotal as it is directly related to the health and well-being of mothers and new-borns during the postnatal months. Our analysis uses two primary data sets – Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement (CPS-FSS) and Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID). Estimating difference-in-differences (DD) and triple difference (DDD) models, we show that New York’s PFL reduced the prevalence of low food security by 36% in both datasets. The positive effects are more sizable for households with low-educated heads and families with incomes under 185% of the Federal Poverty Line. These findings highlight that paid leave benefits lead to a larger reduction in food insecurity among disadvantaged families and thus have the potential to reduce existing societal inequalities. When examining potential mechanisms through which New York’s PFL law improves food security, we show that the policy increased food expenditures, increased labor force participation, particularly by mothers, and improved parental health.

ORCID iDs

Kim, Jiyoon and Lenhart, Otto ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0949-4820;
  • Item type:Article
    ID code:88444
    Dates:
    Date
    Event
    July 2024
    Published
    14 March 2024
    Published Online
    25 February 2024
    Accepted
    Notes:Copyright © 2024 Owner. This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Lenhart, O & Kim, J 2024, 'Paid family leave and the fight against hunger: evidence from New York', Health Economics. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.
    Subjects:Social Sciences > Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
    Social Sciences > The family. Marriage. Women
    Social Sciences > Economic History and Conditions
    Medicine > Public aspects of medicine > Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
    Department:Strathclyde Business School > Economics
    Depositing user: Pure Administrator
    Date deposited:14 Mar 2024 11:18
    Last modified:11 Nov 2024 14:15
    URI:https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/88444
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