Optimist Economy The Case for Going Big on Paid Leave
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Sep 9, 2025 The podcast tackles the confusing landscape of paid family and medical leave, revealing that only a small percentage of workers receive it from employers. Personal anecdotes highlight the struggles of pregnancy and the urgent need for supportive policies. The hosts passionately argue for integrating paid leave into Social Security to ensure all workers benefit across jobs and states. They also discuss the historical context of wage laws and advocate for a cultural shift in how society views caregiving and family dynamics.
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Patchwork Today, Portability Tomorrow
- The US paid leave system is a confusing patchwork of employer benefits, short-term disability, state programs, and unpaid FMLA protections.
- Adding paid family and medical leave to Social Security would create a universal, portable system that follows workers across jobs and states.
Medical Claims Often Outnumber Newborn Claims
- Newborn claims are visible but not necessarily the largest share of paid-leave use.
- Medical leave for personal illness and caring for sick relatives often dominates claim patterns in programs.
Politics, Not Feasibility, Is The Bottleneck
- Congress delays federal paid leave largely because lawmakers fear expanding Social Security without fixing its long-term funding.
- That political hesitation, not technical feasibility, is the main barrier to a federal program.