Telling a Story About Families and Opportunity Increasing support for Paid Family and Medical Leave policies among key audiences Key Findings from focus groups and a national survey March 2020
Research Goals 1. Determine the characteristics of 3. Develop, test, and refine messages audiences that do or could be best positioned to advance these persuaded to care about this issue frames and narratives, including from an equity perspective, as well messages that work with racial and as for other reasons. Assess ethnic communities as “salience,” or the strength and messengers. At the same time, urgency of the views held on this determine the views and activation topic. points of communities of color who are often ignored in traditional 2. Identify narrative elements polling. and message frames that most effectively help “persuadables” to 4. Identify narratives that enable connect with and support concrete Americans who have concerns with family and medical leave policy demographic change to envision a proposals, as well as messages that more diverse future that is activate the base of current attractive, or at least acceptable. supporters.
Methodology: Focus Groups & Online Dial Survey • Nationwide representative survey of 1,000 adults administered between October – November 2019. • Oversamples of 100 African Americans, 150 Latinx, 150 Asian American/Pacific Islanders, 150 Native Americans, and 100 Advocates 6 in-person focus groups in May 2019 • The margin of error for the total sample is +/- 3.1%. The C I T Y C O M P O S I T I O N margin of error for the oversamples is +/- 9.8%. 100.00 White Non-College, Mixed Gender Detroit, MI 80.00 African American, Mixed Gender 60.00 Native American Women Phoenix, AZ 40.00 Latinas 20.00 Small Business Owners, Mixed Gender Raleigh, NC Base (53) 0.00 Opposition (64) 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 Asian/Pacific Islander Women
Audience Analysis
The Base • Are just as likely to be very concerned that low-income people, Black, and Hispanic people are less likely to have paid leave. • About three-quarters agree that people, including low-income people and people of color face barriers to accessing health care and can’t afford to take time off of work, and that the burden is on people and families. • More likely to be women and Democrats. 22%
The Opposition 10% • Are most acutely concerned about abuse, trusting the government to run it, waste, and the impact on small business. • Believe we can’t afford a program, it is too hard on small business, and it is each person’s responsibility to take care of their own family, the government should stay out of it. • More likely to be men, over 65, white, and Republicans.
Persuadables 68% • Are generally favorable toward a paid family and medical leave program. • More closely reflect demographics of the general public.
Demographics Total Base Opp. Pers. Men 48 35 64 49 Women 52 64 36 51 Under 30 21 17 17 23 30-39 17 19 10 17 40-49 16 19 12 15 50-64 25 27 27 24 Defining Over 65 22 17 34 21 Base, White 59 61 70 57 AA 13 16 7 13 Opposition, Latino 16 15 6 18 and Asian/PI 7 6 9 7 Persuasion Native Am. 2 2 3 2 Northeast 18 20 18 18 Midwest 20 17 23 21 South 38 42 32 37 West 23 21 26 24 Democrat 44 59 17 43 Independent 14 10 19 14 Republican 35 25 56 35
Experiences with Leave & Current Access
A third to half of adults* have access to a fully or partially paid benefit that would be covered by a national paid family and medical leave program. % Fully or Partially Paid Paid Time Off 53 Sick days for own health 52 Short-term disability insurance 43 Family and medical leave 42 Maternity leave 38 Routine health issues or medical appointments 38 for family Serious health issues for family 36 Parental leave 36 Paternity leave 32 *Asked only of those who are employed full-time or part-time
Latinx adults are more likely to care for an older relative; Native Americans are more likely to have had a personal need for leave or a seriously ill family member. Parents, those living with an aging relative, and those who have a disability or an immediate family member or close friend with a disability have had a range of caregiving needs recently. Thinking back over the past five years, have you or your spouse or partner had to take time off or reduce your hours at work to... Caregiver PID Gender Age Race Targets % Selected All 30- 40- 50- M W <30 65+ W AA L API NA D I R B P O Parent Aging Disability 39 49 64 12 14 11 15 19 12 13 4 11 12 18 16 10 19 33 21 13 9 14 14 13 8 Care for an older family member Recover from your own serious 10 11 9 12 14 8 12 5 11 9 12 8 21 13 14 19 12 10 9 11 10 7 illness or injury Care for a seriously ill family 9 11 7 14 16 11 6 3 8 10 12 10 16 18 23 17 10 6 10 10 9 8 member Care for a newly born or adopted 9 11 8 17 20 13 1 1 9 7 14 8 10 28 24 12 9 9 11 10 9 8 child 3 4 2 6 5 5 0 0 3 4 3 3 1 5 8 5 3 0 5 3 3 0 Care for a foster child Support a military member during 1 1 1 1 3 3 0 0 2 0 1 1 0 3 3 3 1 0 2 2 1 0 deployment 70 67 73 59 52 72 73 90 72 72 59 66 61 46 38 53 68 74 68 67 69 78 None of these
A tenth to a fifth have ever experienced a negative outcome because of a care-giving obligation or had to hide an obligation from their employer. Have you ever... Had to leave a job because of a care-… 74 19 Had to hide a care-giving obligation from … 76 13 Taken a pay cut as a result of a care-… 79 12 Not been given a raise because of a care-… 80 11 Not been promoted because of a care-… 82 10 Been fired because of a care-giving … 83 10 No Yes
Younger adults and caregivers are more likely to have had negative experiences due to caregiving. Seniors and the Opposition are less likely to have ever had a negative experience due to caregiving. Have you ever... Gender Age Race Caregiver PID Targets % Yes All <30 30- 40- 50- M W 65+ W AA L API NA Parent Aging Disability D I R B P O 39 49 64 19 20 17 27 28 19 15 7 19 17 22 13 23 32 39 27 19 14 21 19 20 8 Had to leave a job Had to hide a care-giving 13 17 9 24 22 13 4 4 13 14 16 9 13 25 33 19 12 11 15 15 13 8 obligation from employer 12 14 11 20 23 14 6 4 12 11 17 13 14 26 26 16 12 10 15 16 12 10 Taken a pay cut 11 14 8 19 23 12 4 3 10 13 15 13 17 24 29 15 10 11 14 11 12 6 Not been given a raise 10 13 8 21 19 9 4 2 10 11 13 12 15 20 24 15 9 9 13 12 10 8 Not been promoted 10 12 8 17 19 10 5 2 10 12 9 9 12 20 24 14 10 10 13 11 10 6 Been fired
Employed adults are most likely to have sick days and paid time off. Only about a quarter to a fifth have a fully paid benefit that would be covered by a national paid family and medical leave program. Among employed people: Here are some benefits that people may have. For each, mark if you have that benefit and it is paid, you have it and it is unpaid, you do not have that benefit, or if you are unsure. Have Have fully paid Have partially paid Have unpaid Fully/ Sick days for your own health 41 12 13 27 8 Partially issue 40 12 11 28 8 52 Paid Time Off (PTO) 53 28 14 13 32 12 Family and medical leave 42 Short-term disability 27 15 9 38 10 insurance 43 26 12 12 38 12 Maternity leave 38 Leave for a sick family 24 14 13 38 11 member - routine health … 38 24 12 13 38 13 Parental leave 36 Leave to care for a sick family 22 14 13 37 13 36 member - serious health … 21 11 11 44 14 Paternity leave 32 Would be covered by a national program
Attitudes toward a Paid Family and Medical Leave Program
Across every demographic and attitudinal subgroup, people side with the idea that the US should ensure all employers adopt a universal paid family and medical leave program. Only the Opposition sides with employers deciding. Persuadables side with adopting a program - 62% to 21%. Women, those under thirty and in their forties, African Americans, those with a disability connection, Democrats, and the Base have the widest margins in favor of a national program. Thinking about PAID family and medical leave, do you believe that… US should ensure Employers choose Margin Men 58 28 30 Women 70 17 54 Under 30 70 18 52 Employers should The United States should ensure 30 to 39 61 25 36 choose whether to all employers nationwide adopt 40 to 49 69 15 54 provide their a paid family and medical leave 50 to 64 63 26 37 65 and over 60 24 36 employees paid program that is available to White 64 22 42 leave everyone African American 73 18 56 Latinx 66 23 42 Asian/PI 60 21 39 Native American 55 34 21 Parent 69 24 44 22 Aging 70 24 47 Disability 72 20 52 Democrat 78 15 63 Independent 59 17 42 13 Republican 53 34 19 Not sure 65 Base 92 7 85 Persuadable 62 21 41 Opposition 20 67 -47 All Adults
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