Access to paid family and medical leave (PFML), including leave to care for a seriously ill loved one or recover from one's own serious illness, conveys health and economic benefits for workers and their families.

Despite the widespread need to take leave from work when faced with a caregiving obligation or when welcoming a new child to the family, many workers in the U.S. lack comprehensive paid leave with job protection and so are forced to choose between taking care of their families or preserving their jobs.

In interviews and internet threads, employees are reporting that companies are providing insufficient protection or benefits, opting instead for rewards that do not address their concerns about job safety or stability. This is in addition to the varying work conditions reported by employees in The Shift Project's survey.