Bonding time: low-income mothers and New Jersey’s family leave insurance program
Bonding time: low-income mothers and New Jersey’s family leave insurance program
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亲密时间：低收入母亲和新泽西州的家庭休假保险计划
DOI：
10.1080/13668803.2018.1501551
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发表时间：
2018
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
Renée Wilson
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
S. Setty;C. Skinner;Renée Wilson
从分娩中恢复过来，同时试图平衡工作场所的需求和紧张的财务资源，这给低收入家庭的生活带来了多重压力。新泽西是仅有的三个提供家庭休假保险（FLI）的州之一，该计划使父母能够离开工作岗位，在一些经济支持下与新生儿建立联系并照顾他们。然而，调查研究表明，低收入人口对家庭收入倡议利用不足。由于对新泽西低收入工作父母使用FLI的经历知之甚少，因此无法理解为什么会出现这种情况。这项定性研究使用框架分析，探讨低收入母亲的经验，平衡工作和一个新的孩子有或没有新泽西FLI，查明FLI使用的障碍，并确定如何改善该计划。通过焦点小组和个人访谈，研究人员发现，缺乏工人的认识和雇主的支持是使用FLI的主要障碍。此外，对该计划的困惑和管理效率低下给使用者带来了负担，并破坏了FLI的核心目标。改进方案的建议包括更好的外展以及行政和福利改革，以确保该方案有效地为低收入工作父母及其子女服务。
ABSTRACT Recovering from childbirth while trying to balance workplace demands and stretch financial resources creates multiple stressors in the lives of low-income families. New Jersey is one of only three states that offers Family Leave Insurance (FLI), a program that enables parents to leave their job to bond with and care for their new child with some financial support. However, survey research shows that FLI is underutilized by low-income populations. Because little is known about the experiences of low-income working parents in New Jersey who have used FLI, it has been impossible to understand why this is the case. This qualitative study used Framework analysis to explore low-income mothers’ experiences balancing work and a new child with or without New Jersey FLI, pinpoint barriers to FLI use, and identify ways to improve the program. Through focus groups and individual interviews, researchers found that lack of worker awareness and employer support are major barriers to FLI use. In addition, confusion about the program and administrative inefficiencies burden those who use it and undermine FLI’s core purposes. Recommendations for program improvement include better outreach as well as administrative and benefit reforms to ensure that the program effectively serves low-income working parents and their children.