How Does the Modification of Maternity Leave Policies in Universities Impact the Birth Rate of the County?

Abstract

A survey published by United Nations’ International Labor Organization in May 2014 showed that, among the 185 countries surveyed, America and Papua New Guinea were the only two countries that did not offer paid maternity leave. By July 2014, the states that offer paid maternity leave include California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island. Whether paid or not, maternal leave policies are directly related to women’s decisions regarding when and how often to have children, as well as their employment choices. Given this importance, in 1993, the United States’s government passed the Family and Medical Leave Act to mandate maternity and parental leave. This study focuses on the correlation between maternity leave policies in universities and the birth rates of counties in which they are located. Data was collected from seventeen universities and counties before and after the maternity leave policy was implemented. Through running mathematical regression models, the results show that additional modification to maternity leave policies actually has a negative correlation with the birth rates. A more generous maternity leave policy does not necessarily change the birth rate’s status quo.With this result being discovered, the study can promote suggestions regarding the policies and further investigations based on the subject.