Understanding the intersection between the policy environment and the employment of economically vulnerable households in the years leading to retirement is essential. Eligibility for most anti-poverty supports in the United States – like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) – require employment or require work activities. For low-net-wealth and low-income older households with limited access to savings and pensions, maintaining employment is crucial to making ends meet later in life. The availability of policies that provide job security may be critical for these older workers.
This study seeks to identify the impact of state-level policies on the employment and economic security of older adults using data from the American Time Use Survey Leave Module and the American Community Survey. Using a difference-in-differences approach, the study will identify the causal impacts of state-level paid family and medical leave policies and paid sick leave policies on the employment and economic security of older adults, as well as understand the heterogeneous effects of these policies by gender, education, race/ethnicity, and difficulty with daily life activities. Results will inform policy discussions related to poverty among older adults, retirement, and paid leave.