UCLA Research Finds that U.S. Sick Leave Policies Widen Racial Inequalities, Lag Nearly Every Other Country

The UCLA Fielding School of Public Health’s WORLD Policy Analysis Center (WORLD) released the first study to systematically analyze how common sick leave eligibility criteria in the U.S. affect access and to examine sick leave policies globally to understand whether these criteria are necessary. The research found marked racial and gender gaps in leave access in the U.S. due to restrictions targeting workers at small businesses, part-time workers, and workers at new jobs.