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The Paid Family Leave
Take-up Rate Research Paper

Our team worked closely with workforce professionals in the District of Columbia to carry out a thorough study on how benefits for paid family leave are calculated. The results of our research have the potential to transform the implementation and administration of paid family leave, thereby changing the landscape of workforce policies.

Revolutionizing the Way Paid Family Leave Usage is Measured

To understand the reach and impact of paid family leave (PFL) programs, examining a program's take-up rate is essential. While there is no well-defined quantitative measure used by government agencies to calculate the take-up rate for PFL benefits accurately, it has been calculated by comparing the total population covered by the program to the portion of that population that participates in the program. This paper calculates a take-up rate using adjustments for the eligible population. The adjustment for the eligible population, instead of the covered population, and using public data sets to augment administrative data from the program provides a different perspective on take-up and program participation.

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A groundbreaking research paper authored by Elliot Schreur, Alice Yu, Sydney Pedigo, Jonathan Standbrook, Michael Taylor, and Unique Morris-Hughes delves deep into the usage of this program. It shows how the "eligible take-up rate" (ETUR) is an essential metric for program leaders and policy decision-makers.

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