Family-Leave Mandates and Female Labor at US Firms: Evidence from a Trade Shock

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Kamal, Fariha; Sundaram, Asha; Tello-Trillo, Cristina J.
• 署名单位: University of Auckland
• 刊物名称: REVIEW OF ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0034-6535
• DOI: 10.1162/rest_a_01436
• 发表日期: 2026
• 关键词: maternity leave; MEDICAL LEAVE; import competition; EMPLOYMENT; legislation; GENDER; LIBERALIZATION; policies; impacts; mothers

摘要

We examine how the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) impacts the gender composition at U.S. firms experiencing a negative demand shock. Combining changes in Chinese imports across industries between 2000 and 2003 and a sharp regression discontinuity to identify FMLA status, we find that an increase in import competition decreases the share of female employment, earnings, and promotions at FMLA relative to non-FMLA firms. This effect is driven by women in prime child-bearing ages and without college degrees and is pronounced at firms with all male managers. These results suggest that job-protected leave mandates may exacerbate gender inequalities in response to adverse shocks.