Findings from a National Survey on Paid Family and Medical ......Jun 26, 2020 · Findings from a National Survey on Paid Family and Medical Leave June 2020 Chesapeake Beach Consulting

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Lake Research PartnersWashington, DC | Berkeley, CA | New York, NYLakeResearch.com202.776.9066

Findings from a National Survey on Paid Family and Medical Leave

June 2020

Chesapeake Beach Consulting

http://www.lakeresearch.com/

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Methodology


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Methodology

• Lake Research Partners and Chesapeake Beach Consulting designed and administered this survey that was conducted online from May 5 – 11, 2020. The survey reached a total of 1,000 likely 2020 voters with oversamples of 100 likely 2020 voters in Florida, 100 in Michigan, and 100 in Nevada. The sample of respondents was drawn from an online panel of listed adults and screened to be likely voters.

• The base sample was weighted by gender, age, race, race by gender, party identification, and educational attainment to reflect their proportion of the actual population. The Florida oversample was weighted by region, race, party identification, and race by gender. The Michigan oversample was weighted by region, age, race, and party identification. The Nevada oversample was weighted by region, race, party identification, and race by gender. All oversamples were weighted down into the base to reflect their actual proportion of the overall population.

• The margin of error is +/-3.1%.

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Defining the Base and Soft SupportersThroughout the report we refer to targets as base and soft supporters. These targets were created using an index of support for policies, which is explained below.

Base – 31% of likely voters

• Strongly favor every paid family and medical leave policy – temporary and permanent.

• Nearly two-thirds (63%) feel much more supportive toward national paid family and medical leave due to recent events.

• More likely to say a national paid family and medical leave law would help them personally now or in the future and a national paid family and medical policy would have been helpful before COVID-19.

• More likely than the electorate overall to be women and Democrats, and have a household income below $50,000.

Soft Supporters – 9% of likely voters

• Not so strongly favor permanent paid family and medical leave policies that would provide paid leave for up to 12 weeks for new parents, people caring for a seriously ill family member, including a parent, spouse, or child, and so people can address their own serious health condition.

• Are less likely to be providing care for any family member right now, and less likely to personally experience any negative outcomes at work due to caregiving obligations, and less likely to say a national paid family and medical leave law would help them personally now or in the future.

• More likely than the electorate overall to be white and Republicans.

All Others – 60% of likely voters

• Represent a range of attitudes on paid family and medical leave policies – from strongly favoring one or two to strongly opposing all.

• Unlike the electorate overall, they are more male than female and more Republican than Democratic. They resemble the electorate overall on age, race, household income, and parental status.

Demographics Total BaseSoft

SupportersAll Others

Men 47 40 47 51

Women 53 59 53 49Under 30 16 11 9 20

30-39 16 18 14 1540-49 15 19 9 1450-64 27 28 21 27Over 65 26 23 46 24White 75 74 88 73AA 12 15 4 12

Latino 11 10 5 12

Asian 4 3 2 5

HH Income <$50K

48 52 42 47

HH Income $50K+

47 45 56 47

Parents 27 29 24 26No Children <18

72 70 76 73

Democrat 45 61 32 38Indep/DK 13 8 19 15Republican 39 28 47 44

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Summary of Key Findings – Employment and Benefits

• Prior to the COVID-19 crisis, about half of voters were employed. When we fielded the survey, unemployment and furloughs had risen dramatically, while employment had decreased.

• Just under a third (31%) of voters have a connection to small business – either they own it themselves, worked at one, or have a family member who owned or worked at a small business.

• Nearly two-thirds of voters who were employed have at least partially paid sick days, and about half have at lease partial paid medical leave, parental leave, or family leave.

• Few workers have fully paid COVID-19 benefits. They are most likely to have paid sick time if they get ill personally (over half have this at least partially paid), but for other types of leave, it is less than half. They are least likely to have paid time to provide care for a child whose school or place of care is closed.

• Substantial numbers do not have the benefits of sick time if they get COVID-19 (20% do not have), or need to care for someone in their family who gets it (29%), or time to care for an adult (31%) or child (34%) who needs care because their care, school, or child care is closed or unavailable.

• Frontline workers are less likely to have time to care for a child who needs care due to closures. Frontline and education industry voters are more likely to have personal sick time due to COVID-19. Voters employed in the service industry are less likely to have paid emergency COVID-19 benefits or paid sick days, paid medical leave, parental leave, or family leave.

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Summary of Key Findings – Caregiving

• Over four-in-ten voters are currently providing care for a family member, and a quarter are providing care for more than one type of family member.

• Among caregivers who are providing care for a child, nearly two-thirds agree that with the uncertainty around when childcare programs and schools will reopen, they are not sure when they can go back to work full-time, and 45% fear job loss.

• Three-quarters of parents and family who are caring for a child or an adult who needs help with self-care say they are concerned about sending a child or adult back to their place of care. Over half are very concerned.

Are you currently providing care for a... % YesChild who is enrolled in elementary, junior high, or high school that is now closed or unavailable because of the coronavirus

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An aging family member 19

A family member who has another kind of serious health issue 17

A disabled family member 12

Child who is too young for school who usually has some sort of child care that is now closed or unavailable because of the coronavirus

11

A family member with mental illness 11

An adult who needs help with self-care and whose place of care is closed or caregiver is unavailable because of the coronavirus

10

A family member who is sick with COVID or COVID symptoms 7

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Summary of Key Findings – Caregiving• Twenty-eight percent have ever experienced some negative outcomes at

work because of a caregiving obligation, including the period before the coronavirus started having major effects in the U.S. Twenty percent have experienced more than one negative outcome.

• Surprises among those disproportionately experiencing negative outcomes at work due to caregiving obligations are younger men, younger college-educated voters, and younger Republicans. These subgroups support every paid family and medical leave policy tested by wide margins, which opens up new audiences.

• But there are also some expected groups who are disproportionately experiencing negative outcomes: younger voters of color, parents, and unmarried mothers.

Have you ever… % Yes

Had to reduce your hours because of a care-giving obligation 19

Had to leave a job because of a care-giving obligation 15

Taken a pay cut as a result of a care-giving obligation 11

Not been promoted because of a care-giving obligation 10

Had to hide a caregiving obligation from your employer 9

Not been given a raise because of a care-giving obligation 9

Been fired because of a care-giving obligation 8

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• Voters who have experienced a negative outcome at work due to caregiving respond with more intensity to some policies. Those whose jobs have been impacted are more likely than those who have had no negative impacts to strongly favor a 12-week temporary paid leave policy for COVID-19 illness or caregiving and a permanent parental leave policy.

• Voters who have experienced more than one negative outcome at work due to caregiving respond with more intensity than those who have had no negative impacts to every policy except the temporary caregiving leave police and the 2-week temporary paid leave policy for COVID-19 illness or caregiving.

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Summary of Key Findings – Caregiving

• Voters overwhelmingly believe that it would have been helpful to the country today if we had a national paid family and medical leave policy implemented before the COVID-19 outbreak. • Women, voters under 50, Democrats, parents, African Americans, and Latinx voters are the most likely

to say it would have been helpful.• Voters believe a national policy would have had the largest impact on people being able to care for

loved ones and people staying home when sick.

• A solid majority believe a national paid family and medical leave policy could help them personally now or sometime in the future, beyond the circumstances of the current emergency. Half respond yes strongly.

• Among those who see a possibility of using paid family and medical leave, the top response is for recovering from their own health issue, followed by caring for a spouse or aging parents. • The reasons people could envision themselves utilizing paid leave highly correlate with their age.

• Voters clearly see a role for government and a national policy. We started to see this in Opportunity Agenda’s 2019 survey, and those attitudes have been solidified now.

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Summary of Key Findings – Experiences during the COVID-19 Crisis

• By wide margins, voters are concerned that the COVID-19 pandemic will affect their or their families’ health and economic well-being. Voters are evenly split in their concerns about job loss.

• Among employed voters, about two-thirds have had their employment or wages impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. About four-in-ten voters overall have been impacted.

• Among the third (31%) of voters with a small business connection – 77% say their small business has been impacted:• permanently closed (15%)

• temporarily closed (35%)

• had its hours reduced (27%)

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Summary of Key Findings – Attitudes toward Policies

• A solid majority (61%) report they are more supportive of national paid family and medical leave in general due to recent events.

• Nearly three-quarters (73%) think most people who work in the U.S. cannot afford to take up to a few months of unpaid time off from their job if they have a new child, a serious illness or injury or surgery, or a family member who is seriously ill, injured, or disabled.

• And nearly three-quarters (74%) think most people who work in the U.S. should be able to take up to a few months of paid time off from their job if they have a new child, a serious illness or injury or surgery, or a family member who is seriously ill, injured, or disabled.

• Voters are more likely to have heard of legislation that provides emergency sick days than legislation that provides emergency paid leave for parents. • A majority (53%) have heard a lot or some about new national legislation passed by the U.S. Congress that makes

emergency paid sick days available to some workers during the coronavirus crisis.• A majority (54%) have heard nothing at all or a little about new national legislation passed by the U.S. Congress that

makes paid leave for parents whose children are out of school or childcare available because of the coronavirus crisis.

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• Two-thirds or more favor every iteration of paid leave that we tested – temporary or permanent, and ranging from proving care for someone with COVID-19 illness or their own illness, to caring for a newborn or newly adopted child, to caring for a family member who is seriously ill, to someone addressing their own serious health condition.

• Looking at the COVID-19 policies, one vulnerability is that voters still have a shorter timeframe in mind than we would provide (2 weeks). However, voters are also supportive of a longer timeframe (up to 12 weeks).

• About three-quarters of voters favor the COVID-19 policies, and three-quarters find temporary sick and caregiving leave to be important.

• Paid medical leave in this emergency for two weeks for people to care for a close family member seriously ill with COVID-19 or COVID-19 symptoms, or to recover from their own diagnosis of COVID-19 - 84% favor (67% strongly)

• A temporary COVID-19 policy of emergency leave for up to 12 weeks for workers who are sick, quarantined or self-isolating or caring for a family member who is sick, quarantined or self-isolating and can't care for themselves - 74% favor (51% strongly) and 76% important (34% very important)

• A temporary COVID-19 policy of paid family caregiving leave for use in this emergency for up to 12 weeks for the care of an adult who needs help with self-care and whose place of care is closed or caregiver is unavailable, or care of a child whose school or childcare is closed or unavailable -73% favor (47% strongly) and 75% important (32% very important)

• Voters split between two weeks of emergency paid leave for people to care for a close family member seriously ill with COVID-19 or COVID-19 symptoms, or to recover from their own diagnosis of COVID-19 being the right amount of time (38%) and not enough time (40%).

• Men, younger voters, Independents, Republicans, higher income voters, parents, Latinx voters, and Asian American/Pacific Islanders tend to think it is the right amount of time.

• Women, older voters, Democrats, lower-income voters, those without minor children, and African Americans tend to think it is not enough.

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• Looking at the permanent policies, more than two-thirds favor each of the following and find the policy important:

• A permanent policy of paid leave for new parents for up to 12 weeks, so people can care for a newborn or newly adopted child - 69% favor (48% strongly) and 70% important (31% very important)

• A permanent policy of paid family care leave for up to 12 weeks so people can care for a seriously ill family member, including a parent, spouse, or child - 69% favor (47% strongly) and 72% important (33% very important)

• A permanent policy of paid medical leave for up to 12 weeks so people can address their own serious health condition - 70% favor (47% strongly) and 72% important (32% very important)

• Voters across demographic and attitudinal subgroups favor these policies.

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Summary of Key Findings – Expanding Emergency Policies

• By wide margins, voters favor expanding the law so that • people can recover from their own COVID-19 illness and receive paid leave for up to

12 work weeks if their health requires it – 75% favor (55% strongly favor) • it also applies to employees who work for businesses that have more than 500

employees – 75% favor (55% strongly)• it also applies to people who are caregivers for adults who need help with self-care

and whose place of care is closed or caregiver is unavailable – 72% favor (50% strongly)

• Voters do not know the details about the emergency legislation, but they would readily fill in the holes.

• Voters are more intensely favorable toward closing the gaps in the existing emergency legislation than they are toward the temporary or permanent policies. This increase in favorability for closing the gaps in the emergency legislation crosses demographic and attitudinal groups.

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Summary of Key Findings – Rewarding Good Actors

• Voters are happy to reward a well-known national business that sells consumer goods and services that came out publicly in support of a national paid family and medical leave policy by:• being more likely to buy products and services they need from that company

• feeling more favorable toward that business

• Voters are also more likely to vote for their member of Congress or U.S. Senator if they knew they voted:• to make sure all workers in the U.S. have access to paid family and medical leave

during this pandemic

• to make sure all workers in the U.S. have access to paid family and medical leave from now on

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Summary of Key Findings – Facts• Many of the facts tested well, but intensity (rate 10, much more likely to support) is low. This terrain is one of values,

not of facts and statistics. Facts do not increase intensity, which is our top goal. Any education time we spend should be on how long the policy will last and what situations besides parental leave are covered. That education effort should be framed in a values narrative that includes “caring” and “preventing financial harm to families,” not facts and statistics.

• It is notable that two of the three best testing facts bring in a heavy dose of values and real caregiving experience.

• The best testing are the following because a majority say these facts make them more likely to support a national paid family and medical leave policy:

• The emergency legislation that Congress passed to provide emergency paid leave during the COVID crisis left out 70-100 million people who work in the private sector - well over half the workforce. All workers should be covered.

• Women leave their jobs for family reasons much more frequently than men. Parenting or caregiving for children whose schools or child care providers are closed or unavailable right now is falling on women - and most do not have the option of paid family leave right now.

• Experts say it may be 12-18 months until there is a vaccine for COVID. Until there is a vaccine, people with childcare and family caregiving responsibilities will struggle to balance work and life and people need to be able to stay home or self-isolate when they're sick without losing pay or their job.

• Facts on small business do not particularly help us.

• Voters are willing to include paid leave as part of the trillions of dollars in new spending. The weakest testing facts are the “facts” on the other side about how much we are spending and that we cannot afford a national paid family and medical leave program.

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Summary of Key Findings – Engaged Debates

• Increasing actionable intensity was a number one goal/hypothesis. The robustness of attitudes against counterarguments when voters are so nervous about the economy is an important new finding.

• Our side wins every engaged debate. The only engaged debate where the anti-paid leave side is competitive is small business, against the argument that small businesses will not get any additional government reimbursement for paid leave.

• While concerns about small business remain salient, when we add language about government reimbursement for small businesses, voters favor the paid leave argument by more than two-to-one. This is an important new finding. Without the promise of government reimbursement, voters split between the pressure on small business and the healthier workforce arguments.

• Bringing in the recession as a rationale for not supporting funding paid leave does not work for the opposition. By double-digit margins, voters side with arguments about the role paid leave has in getting people back to work in restarting the economy. The “second wave” acknowledgement makes this even stronger.

• For most engaged debates, the degree of success for our side rests with Republicans, who are very sensitive to language on the role of government, the burden on small businesses, and the costs for government, individuals, and businesses. However, Republicans reject frames on personal responsibility, we can’t afford this when the economy restarts, and another costly Washington mandate.

• The pro-paid leave argument beats a personal responsibility argument. Republicans side with a broad concept of personal responsibility by an average of 12 points (see slide 21), so it is notable that an argument that advocates for personal responsibility in caregiving cannot stand up to our side. The best strategy is to respond to “personal responsibility” with “family caregiving responsibility.”

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Summary of Key Findings – Messages

• The basis of our best message is simply reiterating the problem in clear, simple terms.

• There is not one golden message, and targeting different messages by audience works better.

• The top messages describe real lived experience, draw ties to health care, and talk about vulnerable people.

• People need to see themselves and their personal situation in the messaging.

• We recommend messaging that calls out lots of people in lots of different situations. When voters can see themselves – whether financially or in their caregiving roles – they respond.

• The weaker messages focus on macro economics. When we bring in economics, it should be more of a micro economics frame focused on family financial harm.

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Strongest Messages (all are split sampled) Very Convincing

Convincing

[Rationale (i)] Why are paid sick days and paid leave so important during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond? Because families can't afford to lose even a few days of pay, which means people go to work sick. No one should have to choose between health and a paycheck. Yet, right now, people are scared of losing their jobs or being forced to work sick in big box retail stores, grocery stores, and other essential businesses. That’s wrong.

39 68

[Health Care (k)] This pandemic has shown us that people need affordable health care they can access when they need it, and time to use it to recover from their own serious illnesses or injuries or to care for loved ones who are ill or injured. Today, too many of us have neither. As we look to the future, it is essential that health care and time for healing or caregiving gotogether to protect people who need care and all of us.

38 67

[Lottery disadvantage (f)] Coronavirus has shown us what people have long argued: Paid sick days and paid family and medical leave protections should have been in place nationally years ago. This pandemic has shown us how vulnerable people are when everything depends on where you work. Women, people of color, and people in hourly, lower-wage jobs are in a worse position because they are more likely to have care responsibilities but less likely to have paid leave.

38 63

[Groundwork (c)] The sudden, swift, and severe nature of the COVID-19 crisis has shown how desperately we need to guarantee comprehensive paid sick days and paid family and medical leave to every working person in this country during this emergency and lay the groundwork for permanent protections. Paid family and medical leave allows families to be there for the important first moments in the lives of their children and the last moments in the lives of their loved ones, or when a pandemic requires isolation and caution.

37 69

[Public health (e)] In these trying times we all want to protect the health and lives of our families, friends, and neighbors. And in an effort to flatten the curve, millions of Americans are working from home with caregiving resources largely unavailable. With childcare facilities and schools closed, parents and caregivers are doing their best to be good employees, good teachers, and good parents. Paid family and medical leave would help people doing the right thing to care for their families without sacrificing their family budget.

37 71

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Language Recommendations

Words to Use Words to Avoid Notes

Experts say it may be 12-18 months until there is a vaccine for COVID. Until there is a vaccine, people with childcare and family caregiving responsibilities will struggle to balance work and life and people need to be able to stay home or self-isolate when they’re sick without losing pay or their job.

There is no returning to normal after COVID, it will be here for a long time and we have to do everything we can to keep working families connected to their employer to get through these times.

Voters respond better to the struggles of people with childcare and family caregiving responsibilities. It is weaker to focus on the macro economic impact.

Permanent policy, from now on, available for all now Emergency policy, during the crisis, set up when the crisis is over

Voters like the crisis response, and they are ready to move to a more permanent conversation. This is something families have always needed and will always need, rather than something that has emerged because of COVID-19.

A variety of experiences that people may have Facts and statistics Numbers are not as persuasive as voters feeling their lives are seen.

Get people back to work and restart the economy, knowing that if a second wave hits, employees’ health and care needs can be met and businesses can protect their customers

Paid leave allows people to go back to work and safely patronize businesses after stay-at-home orders are lifted, and it is important to acknowledge the possibility of a second wave.

Small business will be reimbursed Many small business owners say they think of their employees like family but can’t afford to offer paid leave to their employees on their own.

Facts about small business economics work less well than just reassuring people that we will help small businesses implement the policy. This fits into a dominant focus on helping small businesses in general right now. It also fits the winning mechanism of fitting this policy into what we are already doing rather than suggesting it is something new.

Expanding the law to cover something specific, paid family and medical leave should be included in relief funding

In general, tying the policy to what we are doing already helps to increase the intensity. It is better to talk about building on what we are already doing rather than creating a new policy. For example, on the funding, it helps to talk about the fact that this should be included in the massive relief spending that is already underway.

Care and financial harm for families Standard of living This terrain is about real lived experience and values, not economics.

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Core Orientations


21

Voters side with the government playing an active role over personal responsibility, whether the government’s role is phrased as guaranteeing a basic standard of living or to ensure people can care for themselves and their families without experiencing financial harm.

34

54

12

The government should play an active role in

society to guarantee a basic standard of living

for families.

It is each person’s responsibility to take

care of their own family, the government

should stay out of it.

The government should play an active role in society in

ensuring people can care for themselves and their families

without experiencing financial harm.


care of their own family, the government

should stay out of it.

33

57

10

Which statement comes closer to your views, even if neither is exactly right?

Split sampled

Not sure CBC

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Across nearly every demographic and attitudinal subgroup, voters side with a role for government. The exceptions are Republicans and Independents when the role for government frame is focused on a basic standard of living for families rather than people caring for their families without financial harm.

Which statement comes closer to your views, even if neither is exactly right?

Split sampled

Basic Standard of Living

Personal Responsibility

Margin

Men 49 43 +6Women 58 27 +31Under 30 56 33 +2230 to 39 63 26 +3840 to 49 55 37 +1850 to 64 48 36 +1265 and over 51 37 +15Democrat ID 74 18 +56Independent ID 35 36 -1Republican ID 38 53 -15HH Income below $50K 60 30 +30HH Income $50K+ 48 41 +7Parents 53 37 +16No Children 54 34 +20White 49 39 +10African American 68 20 +49

Care without Financial Harm

Personal Responsibility

Margin

Men 51 41 +11Women 62 26 +36Under 30 67 29 +3930 to 39 61 31 +3140 to 49 52 40 +1350 to 64 53 34 +2065 and over 55 32 +23Democrat ID 76 17 +59Independent ID 47 38 +9Republican ID 41 49 -8HH Income below $50K 62 26 +36HH Income $50K+ 54 39 +15Parents 58 35 +23No Children 57 32 +25White 56 33 +24African American 68 26 +41

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Previous data showed similar patterns, although Independents and Republicans now are more oriented toward personal responsibility.

The government should play an active role in

society to guarantee a basic standard of living for

families.

It is each person’s responsibility to take care

of their own family, the government should stay

out of it.

Split sampled

Paid Leave for All 2020

Opportunity Agenda 2019

Dem 74Ind 35Rep 38

Dem 16Ind 19Rep 46

Dem 71Ind 57Rep 49

Dem 76 Ind 47Rep 41

The government should play an active role in society in ensuring

people can care for themselves and their families without experiencing

financial harm.


care of their own family, the government should

stay out of it.

34

54

12

33

57

10Dem 18Ind 36Rep 53

26

59


28

58


Dem 17 Ind 38Rep 49

Not sure CBC

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Nearly three-quarters say they think that most people who work in the US cannot afford to take up to a few months of unpaid time off for care, but similar numbers say that most people should be able to take up to a few months of paid time off for care.

16

73

10

Yes No Not sure

74

13 13

Yes No Not sure

Do you think most people who work in the U.S. can afford to take up to a few months of unpaid time off from their job if they have a new child, a

serious illness or injury or surgery, or a family member who is seriously ill, injured, or disabled?

Do you think most people who work in the U.S. should be able to take up to a few months of paid time off from their job if they have a new child, a

serious illness or injury or surgery, or a family member who is seriously ill, injured, or disabled?

Split sampled

% NoDem 74Ind 82Rep 71

% YesDem 89Ind 54Rep 65

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Previous data showed people were more likely to think that people could not take time off unpaid, but now people are more likely to say they should be able to take paid time.

Do you think most people who work in the U.S. can afford to take up to a few months of unpaid time off from their job if they have a new child, a serious illness or injury or

surgery, or a family member who is seriously ill, injured, or disabled?

Do you think most people who work in the U.S. should be able to take up to a few months of paid time off from their

job if they have a new child, a serious illness or injury or surgery, or a family member who is seriously ill, injured, or

disabled?

Split sampled


Perry Undem 2018

16

1

73

90

74

67

13

14

Dem 74Ind 82Rep 71

Dem 93Ind 90Rep 87

Dem 81Ind 62Rep 57

Dem 89Ind 54Rep 65

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Employment and Benefits


27

Prior to the coronavirus having major effects in the US, about half of voters were employed. As of early May, a plurality were employed, but unemployment and furloughs have risen dramatically.

31

11

11

5

6

4

25

5

1

1

Employed full-time

Employed part-time

Unemployed

Furloughed

Homemaker or SAHP

Student

Retired

Disabled

Other

Prefer not to answer

38

14

6

1

5

4

25

5

1

1

Employed full-time

Employed part-time

Unemployed

Furloughed

Homemaker or SAHP

Student

Retired

Disabled

Other

Prefer not to answer

What was your employment status before the coronavirus started having major effects in the U.S.?

What is your current employment status?

52% employed 42% employed

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Men were more likely to report being employed than women before COVID-19, but women and men report losing employment at similar rates.

% Employment Status

Before COVID CurrentNet (Current –

Pre-COVID) Notes

All Men Women Men Women Men Women

Employed full time 38 50 27 43 20 -7 -7While men were far more likely to be employed full-time, both men

and women have decreased at the same rate

Employed part time 14 9 18 8 13 -1 -5Women were more likely to be employed part-time before COVID,

and they have decreased more than men

Unemployed 6 6 6 11 11 5 5 No differences

Furloughed 1 1 1 5 5 4 4 No differences

Homemaker/SAHP 5 2 9 2 10 0 1Women were more likely to be stay at home parents, and they

remain so

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The COVID-19 crisis has impacted the employment of voters in their 30s and 40s more than any other group.

% Employment Status

Before COVID Current Net (Current – Pre-COVID)Notes

All <30 30-39 40-49 50-64 65+ <30 30-39 40-49 50-64 65+ <30 30-39 40-49 50-64 65+

Employed full time 38 26 59 68 45 7 22 49 55 36 6 -4 -10 -13 -9 -1Voters in their 30s and 40s

have the largest decrease in full-time employment

Employed part time 14 29 17 6 11 10 23 14 2 9 8 -6 -3 -4 -2 -2Younger voters have the

largest decrease in part-time work

Unemployed 6 13 4 5 9 1 20 9 14 15 2 7 5 9 6 1Voters under 65 are more

unemployed now

Furloughed 1 2 1 1 1 1 3 6 5 7 3 1 5 4 6 2Older Millennials and Gen X

are being furloughed

Homemaker/SAHP 5 4 14 9 4 1 6 15 10 4 1 2 1 1 0 0 No differences

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White and Black voters are more likely to decrease in full-time employment. Latinx voters have a larger decrease in part-time employment and a larger increase in unemployment.

% Employment Status


All W AA L API W AA L API W AA L API

Employed full time 38 39 30 44 31 31 21 39 29 -8 -9 -5 -2White and African American voters

have the largest decreases in full-time employment

Employed part time 14 12 16 25 8 9 13 17 9 -3 -3 -8 1Latinx voters have the largest decrease

in part-time employment

Unemployed 6 5 10 10 20 9 14 23 14 4 4 13 -6Latinx are now disproportionately

unemployed

Furloughed 1 1 4 0 6 5 4 4 6 4 0 4 0White and Latinx voters have the largest

increases in being furloughed

Homemaker/SAHP 5 6 3 4 10 6 7 3 19 0 4 -1 9API voters have the largest increase in

being a stay-at-home parent

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Non-college educated voters are less likely than college-educated voters to be employed full-time, and more likely to be unemployed in early May.

% Employment StatusBefore COVID Current Net (Current – Pre-COVID)

NotesAll Non-college College Non-college College Non-college College

Employed full time 38 25 56 19 49 -6 -7College-educated voters are more likely to be employed full-time, but

the rate of decrease is the same

Employed part time 14 17 9 11 9 -6 0Non-college voters are more likely to be employed part-time, and have a

higher decrease

Unemployed 6 7 5 15 7 8 2Non-college voters are more likely to be unemployed as a result of COVID-

19

Furloughed 1 2 0 6 4 4 4 No difference

Homemaker/SAHP 5 7 4 7 4 0 0 No difference

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32

Over a quarter of respondents work in a frontline industry, and just under a quarter work in a service industry. About one-in-eight are educators.

27

12

23

35

Frontline industry

Education

Service industry

Non-affected industry

Which of the following best describes the industry in which you work or worked, for your main job, before the coronavirus started having major effects in the U.S.?

Asked of respondents who were employed before Coronavirus started having major effects in the U.S.

Healthcare other than nursing - 10

Manufacturing/supply chain - 4

Grocery or big box store - 3

Transportation/utility/communications - 3

Nursing - 2

Warehouse - 2

Delivery - 1

Domestic work - 1

Gig economy - >1

K-12 - 7

Early education/childcare - 2

Post-secondary - 2

Other service industry - 9

Retail - 7

Restaurant/café/bar - 6

Wholesale other than big box/grocery - 1

Computer/computer science - 7

Financial services - 6

Government - 4

Construction/building - 3

Other non-service industry - 3

Real estate/property management - 3

Non-profit organization - 3

Law - 2

Advertising - 2

Media – 1

Human resources - 1

Market research - 1

CBC

33

Voters in frontline, service, and education industries have all seen double digit decreases in full-time employment and double digit increases in unemployment. Education industry employees are also more likely to be furloughed.

% Employment Status


All Frontline Edu ServiceNone of

thoseFrontline Edu Service

None of those

Frontline Edu ServiceNone of

those

Employed full time 38 72 69 68 80 56 57 47 73 -16 -12 -21 -7Voters employed in service industries,

frontline industries, and education have all seen decreases

Employed part time 14 28 31 32 20 23 11 23 18 -5 -20 -9 -2Part-time education industry

employees have seen a large decrease

Unemployed 6 -- -- -- -- 14 11 14 4 14 11 14 4Voters employed in service industries,

frontline industries, and education have all seen increases

Furloughed 1 -- -- -- -- 3 17 9 4 3 17 9 4Education industry employees are

more likely to be furloughed

Homemaker/SAHP 5 -- -- -- -- 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 No difference

CBC

34

Nearly two-thirds of voters who were employed before the coronavirus started having major effects in the U.S. have at least partially paid sick days, and about half have at least partial paid medical leave, parental leave, or family leave.Here are some reasons people may need to take time off from work. If you needed to take time off for each of the following reasons,

what would your situation be?

42

28

26

24

22

25

24

24

26

28

30

33

3

7

4

5

8

11

16

13

Sick days for your own healthissue

Extended medical leave foryour own serious health issue

or injury

Leave to care for a new childborn or adopted into your

family

Leave to care for a familymember with a serious health

issue or injury

Full pay Some pay No pay Lose job Not sure

Asked of employed before the coronavirus started having major effects in the U.S. respondents only

63

54

50

48

Would be paid

CBC

35

Men, voters in their 30s and 40s, higher income households, parents, and college-educated voters are more likely to get some pay during periods of leave.

Get at least some pay

Sick days for your own

health issue

Extended medical leave for your own

serious health issue

or injury

Leave to care for a new

child born or adopted into your family

Leave to care for a family

member with a serious

health issue or injury

All 63 54% 50% 48%

GenderM 69 58% 55% 53%W 57 49 44 44

Age

<30 59 51 49 4830-39 67 60 60 5840-49 69 56 57 5550-64 61 49 41 3865+* 56 50 37 40

RaceW 65 53 49 47

AA* 57 51 49 50L* 61 56 50 55

HH Income<$50K 51 46 41 42$50K+ 72 58 56 54

ParentsYes 74 60 65 62No 57 49 39 40

PIDD 62 53 52 51I* 66 56 44 41R 65 54 50 50

EducationNC 55 50 42 40C 72 58 58 56

• Men are more likely than women to get paid during periods of leave.

• Voters under 30 and over 50 are less likely to get paid during leave.

• There is less racial disparity than might be expected. Asian American/Pacific Islanders are especially likely to get paid during leave. Black and Latinx voters are less likely to get paid sick days.

• Household income is a big driver of getting paid during leave.

• Parents are far more likely to get paid during periods of leave, which may be partially related to age.

• While there are few partisan differences on sick days and medical leave, Independents are less likely to get paid family leave.

• Higher education is also a big driver of getting paid during leave, which correlates with higher household income.

*note small sample size CBCAsked of employed before the coronavirus started having major effects in the U.S. respondents only

36

Voters employed in the service industry are less likely to have any type of paid leave. Michigan and Conservative voters are less likely to get paid parental or family leave.Get at least some

pay

Sick days for your own

health issue

Extended medical leave for your own

serious health issue

or injury

Leave to care for a new

child born or adopted into your family

Leave to care for a family

member with a serious

health issue or injury

All 63 54 50 48

Region

Northeast 65 53 50 50

Midwest 63 49 51 49

South 64 58 49 46West 63 52 50 51

StateFL 66 58 48 47

MI* 68 53 41 42

NV* 61 42 51 47

Ideology

Lib 63 54 54 55

Mod 69 55 52 51Con 60 51 45 43

Industry

Frontline 66 53 51 45Education* 69 65 51 56

Service 47 43 41 35None of those 72 56 54 58

• There are few distinctions by region.

• Nevada voters are less likely to get paid during medical leave, and Michigan voters are less likely to get paid during parental leave or family leave.

• Moderates are more likely to have paid sick days, while Conservatives are less likely to get paid during parental or family leave.

• Voters employed in the service industry are less likely to get paid for any form of leave. Frontline workers are less likely to get paid during family leave. Educators are more likely to get paid during medical leave.

*note small sample size CBCAsked of employed before the coronavirus started having major effects in the U.S. respondents only

37

Employed voters are less likely to have paid COVID-19 benefits. Few workers have fully paid benefits. Half get some paid sick time, but for other leave, it is less than half. They are most likely to have paid sick time if they get ill personally, and are less likely to have paid time to provide care for someone in their family whose school or place of care is closed.

Here are some benefits that people may have currently. 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.

13

13

13

13

37

28

27

23

18

16

13

15

20

29

31

34

11

14

16

15

Sick time if you get COVID-19 or needto quarantine or self-isolate

Sick time if a family member getsCOVID-19 and they need to

quarantine or self-isolate and needyour care

Time to care for an adult in yourfamily who is unable to care forthemselves and whose care isn'tavailable because of COVID-19

Time to care for a child who is out ofschool or child care because of a

COVID-19 related closure

Fully paid Partially paid Unpaid Do not have Not sure

Asked of currently employed respondents only

56

44

40

38

Would be paid

CBC

38

Men, younger voters, higher income households, parents, and college-educated voters are more likely to have a an emergency COVID-19 benefit at least partially paid.

Have benefit at least partially paid

Sick time if you get

COVID-19 or need to

quarantine or self-isolate

Sick time if a family

member gets COVID-19 and they need to

quarantine or self-

isolate and need your

care

Time to care for an adult

in your family who is

unable to care for

themselves and whose care isn't available

Time to care for a child

who is out of school or child care

because of a COVID-19

related closure

All 56 44 40 38

GenderM 59 47 43 39

W 51 39 37 36

Age

<30 52 48 48 44

30-39 64 57 49 50

40-49 61 51 46 41

50-64 50 34 31 27

RaceW 57 43 36 34

L 41 43 50 42

HH Income<$50K 45 36 32 30

$50K+ 63 50 45 42

ParentsYes 64 53 50 47

No 50 38 33 31

PIDD 58 51 46 42

I* 58 38 40 34

R 54 41 37 36

EducationNC 48 35 36 33

C 62 51 43 41

• Men are more likely than women to have sick time for a family member and time to care for an adult emergency benefits.

• Older voters are far less likely than younger voters to have these benefits paid.

• Latinx voters are more likely to have time to care for an adult who needs help with care.

• Household income is a big driver of getting paid emergency benefits.

• Parents are far more likely to get paid emergency benefits.

• Democrats tend to be more likely to get paid emergency benefits, although there is no difference on personal sick leave for COVID-19.

• Education is also a big driver of getting paid during leave, which correlates with household income.

*note small sample size CBCAsked of currently employed respondents only

39

Conservatives and voters employed in the service industry are less likely to have emergency COVID-19 benefits that are paid.Have benefit at least

partially paid

Sick time if you get

COVID-19 or need to

quarantine or self-isolate

Sick time if a family

member gets COVID-19 and they need to

quarantine or self-

isolate and need your

care

Time to care for an adult

in your family who is

unable to care for

themselves and whose care isn't available

Time to care for a child

who is out of school or child care

because of a COVID-19

related closure

All 56 44 40 38

Region

Northeast* 54 45 44 37

Midwest 51 42 40 32South 56 44 38 39

West 62 46 43 41

StateFL 51 33 42 32

MI* 47 42 40 33

IdeologyLib 60 48 47 43

Mod 57 46 43 39

Con 51 39 30 31

Industry

Frontline 64 47 39 33Service 48 33 32 31

None of those 54 48 44 44

• There are few regional or state differences.

• Conservatives are less likely than liberals or moderates to have emergency COVID-19 benefits paid.

• Again, voters employed in the service industry are less likely to have paid emergency COVID-19 benefits. Frontline workers are less likely to have time to care for a child who needs care due to closures. Frontline and education industry voters are more likely to have personal sick time due to COVID-19.

*note small sample size CBCAsked of currently employed respondents only

40

Caregiving


41

Over a quarter have ever experienced some negative outcomes at work because of a caregiving obligation, including in the period before coronavirus started having major effects in the U.S. A fifth have experienced more than one negative outcome. About one-in-five have reduced their hours, and on the lower end, one-in-twelve have missed a raise or were fired.

Have you ever...

19

15

11 10 9 9 8

Reduced your hoursbecause of a care-giving obligation

Had to leave a jobbecause of a care-giving obligation

Taken a pay cut as aresult of a care-giving

obligation

Not been promotedbecause of a care-giving obligation

Had to hide a care-giving obligation from

your employer

Not been given a raisebecause of a care-giving obligation

Been fired because ofa care-giving

obligation

Yes

28Yes

to at least one

20Yes to more than one

CBCAsked of all respondents

42

Younger voters, African Americans, Latinx voters, Asian American/Pacific Islanders, parents, and liberals are more likely to have ever experienced at least one of the negative outcomes at work due to a caregiving obligation, including the period prior to COVID-19. These groups are also more likely to experience more than one negative outcome.

Have you ever...

% Yes All

Gender Age Race PID

M W <30 30-39 40-49 50-64 65+ W AA L API D I RExperienced at least one negative outcome

28 27 29 47 40 42 18 11 24 38 45 47 29 18 30

Experienced more than one negative outcome

20 20 19 37 30 34 11 4 16 33 28 35 19 12 24

% Yes All

HH Income Education Parents State Ideology

<$50K $50K+ NC C Yes No FL MI NV Lib Mod ConExperienced at least one negative outcome

28 30 28 26 30 48 20 24 25 15 38 24 22

Experienced more than one negative outcome

20 20 21 18 23 36 14 19 17 4 29 16 15


43

Surprises among those disproportionately ever experiencing negative outcomes at work due to caregiving obligations are younger men, younger college-education voters and younger Republicans. But there are also some expected groups who are disproportionately experiencing negative outcomes: younger voters of color, parents, and unmarried mothers.

Reduced your hours because of a

care-giving obligation

Had to leave a job because of a care-giving obligation

Taken a pay cut as a result of a care-giving obligation

Not been promoted because of a care-giving obligation

Had to hide a care-giving obligation

from your employer

Not been given a raise because of a

care-giving obligation

Been fired because of a care-giving

obligation

Younger men Younger college-educated voters

Younger RepublicansYounger Black voters

Younger Latinx voters

Black menFathers

Unmarried mothers

Younger votersYounger RepublicansYounger Black voters

Black womenParents

Unmarried mothersHomemakers/Stay at

home parents

Younger menYounger college-educated voters

Younger RepublicansYounger Black voters

Younger Latinx voters

Black womenLatina women

ParentsUnmarried mothers

Younger menPost-graduates

Younger college-educated voters

Younger RepublicansYounger white

votersYounger Black votersYounger API voters

Black womenFathers

Homemakers/Stay at home parents



College-educated men

Younger RepublicansRepublican menYounger white


Latina womenFathers

Unmarried mothersEducators

Younger votersPost-graduates


Younger RepublicansYounger voters

across raceLatina women

ParentsUnmarried mothersHomemakers/Stay at

home parents



Younger RepublicansRepublican menYounger white


Black womenFathers

Unmarried mothers

Have you ever...


44

Over four-in-ten voters are currently providing care for a family member and a quarter are providing care for more than one type of family member.

Are you currently providing care for a ...

24

1917

12 11 11 107

Child who is enrolledin elementary, juniorhigh, or high school

that is now closed orunavailable becauseof the coronavirus

An aging familymember

A family memberwho has another

kind of serioushealth issue

A disabled familymember

Child who is tooyoung for schoolwho usually has

some sort of childcare that is now

closed or unavailablebecause of the

coronavirus

A family memberwith mental illness

An adult who needshelp with self-careand whose place of

care is closed orcaregiver is

unavailable becauseof the coronavirus

A family memberwho is sick withCOVID or COVID

symptoms

Yes

45Yes

to at least one

26Yes to more than one

CBC

45

Among caregivers who are providing care for a child, nearly two-thirds agree that with the uncertainty around childcare programs and school, they are not sure when they can go back to work full-time, and 45% fear job loss.

24

11

Child who is enrolled in elementary,junior high, or high school that is

now closed or unavailable becauseof the coronavirus

Child who is too young for schoolwho usually has some sort of child

care that is now closed orunavailable because of the

coronavirus

Are you currently providing care for a ... If providing care for a child, do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

25

34

45

62

27

2132

With the uncertainty around whenchildcare, summer programs for kids,

and schools will reopen, I fear I will nolonger have a job.

With the uncertainty around whenchildcare, summer programs for kids,and schools will reopen, I am not surewhen I can go back to work full-time.

47

Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree

Strongly agree Strongly disagree CBC

46

Three-quarters of parents and family who are caring for a child or an adult who needs help with self-care say they are very concerned about sending a child or adult back to their place of care. Over half are very concerned.

24

11 10

Child who is enrolled inelementary, junior high,

or high school that isnow closed or

unavailable because ofthe coronavirus

Child who is too youngfor school who usuallyhas some sort of childcare that is now closedor unavailable because

of the coronavirus

An adult who needshelp with self-care andwhose place of care isclosed or caregiver is

unavailable because ofthe coronavirus

Are you currently providing care for a ...How concerned are you about sending a child back to childcare or school or a disabled or older adult in your family back to their place of care prior

to the development of a vaccine or life-saving treatment for COVID-19?

52

10 1

76

23

Concerned Not Not sure

Somewhat concerned A little concerned

Very concerned Not concerned at all CBC

47

A solid majority believe a national paid family and medical leave policy could help them personally now or sometime in the future, beyond the circumstances of the current emergency. Half respond yes strongly.

Do you think a national paid family and medical leave policy beyond the circumstances of this emergency could help you now or sometime in the future? Remember, this would be available to you if you become seriously ill and need time away from work, need to care for a family member with a serious

health issue or to care for a newborn or newly adopted child.

No so strongly yes Not so strongly no

Strongly yes Strongly no

50

13 16

62

22

Yes No Not sure

CBC

48

Among those who see a possibility of using paid family and medical leave, the top response is recovering from their own health issue, followed by caring for a spouse or aging parents.

46

39

37

29

27

25

21

10

16

To recover from or seek treatment for your own serious illness

To care for a spouse with a serious health issue

To care for aging parents

To care for another family member with a serious health issue

To care for a child with a serious health issue

To care for a newborn or newly adopted child

To care for a disabled family member

To address the deployment or injury of a military service member in yourfamily

None of these

What would you be likely to use paid family and medical leave for now or sometime in the future?

Asked of those who said yes or not sure to a national paid family and medical leave policy beyond the circumstances of this emergency that could help them now or sometime in the future.

CBC

49

Voters’ ages correlate with the reason they anticipate needing leave now or in the future. Voters over age 65 are far more likely to say they would not need leave for any of these reasons.

Reason by Age

Under 30 30-39 40-49 50-64 65+

32% 44% 48% 59% 42%

36% 34% 42% 45% 34%

41% 37% 47% 40% 17%

29% 22% 24% 32% 38%

31% 32% 38% 22% 17%

45% 42% 24% 14% 6%

24% 13% 26% 20% 24%

12% 5% 11% 9% 10%

12% 14% 10% 14% 31%

46

39

37

29

27

25

21

10

16

To recover from or seek treatment for yourown serious illness

To care for a spouse with a serious healthissue

To care for aging parents

To care for another family member with aserious health issue

To care for a child with a serious health issue

To care for a newborn or newly adopted child

To care for a disabled family member

To address the deployment or injury of amilitary service member in your family

None of these

What would you be likely to use paid family and medical leave for now or sometime in the future?

CBC

50

Would it have been helpful to the country today if we had a national paid family and medical leave policy implemented before the COVID-19

outbreak?

No so strongly yes Not so strongly no

Strongly yes Strongly no

61

817

69

14

Yes No Not sure

Voters overwhelmingly believe that it would have been helpful to the country today if we had a national paid family and medical leave policy implemented before the COVID-19 outbreak. Women, voters under 50, Democrats, parents, African Americans, and Latinx voters are the most likely to say it would have been helpful.

Yes No Margin

Men 64 18 +46Women 73 11 +63Under 30 78 13 +6530 to 39 78 10 +6840 to 49 76 8 +6850 to 64 63 16 +4765 and over 61 20 +41Democrat ID 86 7 +79Independent ID 52 17 +35Republican ID 57 22 +34HH Income below $50K 68 15 +53HH Income $50K+ 72 14 +58Parents 80 9 +72No Children 65 16 +49White 66 16 +50African American 76 12 +63Latinx 81 7 +74API 70 14 +56

CBC

51

Voters believe a national policy would have had the largest impact on people being able to care for loved ones and people staying home when sick. By a double-digit margin, voters see the utility for a national policy for every scenario.

If America had already had a national paid family and medical leave policy, how much of an impact do you think that would have had now, during this crisis, on each of the following?

51

50

45

45

39

39

36

32

75

74

74

73

66

62

66

57

On people being able to care for loved ones

On people staying home when sick

On families' ability to buy food and pay rent

On families' ability to pay for basic expenses

On people keeping their jobs

On slowing the spread of the coronavirus

On businesses being able to plan, knowing their employees couldaccess paid leave

On giving consumers greater peace of mind when going into stores andpublic spaces

Less impact Net

20 +56

20 +55

21 +53

21 +52

26 +41

30 +32

26 +40

35 +22

A lot Somewhat CBC

52

Experiences during the COVID-19 Crisis


53

How concerned are you that coronavirus/the COVID-19 pandemic will affect your health or the

health of a family member?

How concerned are you that you or your family will be economically harmed by coronavirus/the

COVID-19 pandemic?

How concerned are you that you or someone in your family will lose their job because of

coronavirus/the COVID-19 pandemic?

(+54) (+43) (+4)

By wide margins, voters are concerned that the COVID-19 pandemic will affect their or their families’ health and economic well-being. Voters are evenly split in their concerns about job loss.

Somewhat concerned A little concerned

Very concerned Not concerned at all

47

5

41

829 24

76

22

1 1

70

27

2 1

4744

72

Concerned Not Already impacted Not sure Concerned Not Already harmed Not sure Concerned Not Lost job Not sure

CBC

54

MenWomen

<5050+

WhiteBlackLatinx

APIHH income below $50K

HH income $50K+Parents

No childrenDemocrat

IndependentRepublicanNon-college

College

Black and Latinx voters, younger voters, parents, and Democrats have more intense concerns about the health and economic ramifications of COVID-19.

48

47

51

44

44

54

61

53

50

46

53

45

57

35

39

47

48

757879

7475

7982

7578

7681

7588

6568

7677

Subgroup

How concerned are you that coronavirus/the COVID-19 pandemic will

affect your health or the health of a family member?

How concerned are you that you or your family will be economically harmed by coronavirus/the COVID-19 pandemic?

How concerned are you that you or someone in your family will lose their

job because of coronavirus/the COVID-19 pandemic?

42

40

48

34

36

55

61

41

44

39

51

38

49

30

36

43

38

677275

656871

817271

6976

6876

5966

7267

30

27

36

22

24

39

50

30

30

27

40

24

34

21

24

30

27

4847

5838

4355

6755

4946

6143

5335

4548

46

CBC

55

About four-in-ten voters say their employment or wages have been affected by COVID-19.

13

13

8

6

5

3

20

36

2

Yes, I am working from home

Yes, I am furloughed due to the crisis

Yes, my employer reduced my hours

Yes, I lost my job permanently

Yes, my wages have been reduced

Yes, I had to reduce my hours due to my personal situation

No, my employment status has not been affected

No, I wasn't working before COVID-19

Not sure

Has your employment status or wage earnings been affected because of COVID-19? (multiple response)

42

CBC

56

Among the voters who were employed before COVID-19, over two-thirds have been impacted in at least one way.

23

19

14

9

8

5

31

1

1

Yes, I am working from home

Yes, I am furloughed due to the crisis

Yes, my employer reduced my hours

Yes, I lost my job permanently

Yes, my wages have been reduced

Yes, I had to reduce my hours due to my personal situation

No, my employment status has not been affected

No, I wasn't working before COVID-19

Not sure

Among voters employed before COVID-19: Has your employment status or wage earnings been affected because of COVID-19? (multiple response)

68

CBC

57

About three-in ten had at least one connection to small businesses prior to COVID-19. Among voters with these connections, over three-quarters (77%) say there has been a change to their small business.

11

10

7

5

65

4

Yes, I was a small businessowner

Yes, I worked at a small business

Yes, I have a family member whoowned a small business

Yes, I have a family member whoworked at a small business

No small business connection

Not sure

Before the coronavirus started having major effects in the U.S., would you have described yourself or a family member as a small business

owner or an employee at a small business of less than 50 employees?

If small business connection, ask: Has the situation for yourself or your family member changed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic?

15

3527

20

Not sure – 3%

Permanently closed

Temporarily closed

Hours reduced

No change

CBC

58

Attitudes toward Policies


59

Voters say that recent events have made voters more supportive of national paid family and medical leave in general.

Because of recent events, have you become more supportive, or less supportive of national paid family and medical leave in general, or is there no difference?

Somewhat more supportive Somewhat less supportive

Much more supportive Much less supportive

31

5

21

6

61

12

More supportive Less supportive No difference Not sure

CBC

60

Across party identification, voters say that recent events have made voters more supportive of national paid family and medical leave in general.

Because of recent events, have you become more supportive, or less supportive of national paid family and medical leave in general, or is there no difference?

Somewhat more supportive Somewhat less supportive

Much more supportive Much less supportive

40

416

416 9

268

256

256

72

9

43

22

56

14

Moresupportive

Lesssupportive

Nodifference

Not sure Moresupportive

Lesssupportive

Nodifference

Not sure Moresupportive

Lesssupportive

Nodifference

Not sure

Democrat Independent Republican

CBC

61

How much have you heard about new national legislation passed by the U.S. Congress that makes emergency paid sick days available to some

workers during the coronavirus crisis?

How much have you heard about new national legislation passed by the U.S. Congress that makes paid leave for parents whose children are out of

school or childcare available because of the coronavirus crisis?

(+9) (-13)

Voters are more likely to have heard of emergency sick days legislation than emergency paid leave for parents.

Some A little

A great deal Nothing at all

23 20 3 1832

4

53

44 41

54

A great deal/some Nothing at all/a little Not sure A great deal/some Nothing at all/a little Not sure

CBC

62

CBC

Over four-in-five voters favor, and two-thirds strongly favor paid leave for COVID-19 illness or symptoms. Across all subgroups and partisan groups, voters favor this by huge margins.Do you favor or oppose paid medical leave in this emergency for two weeks for people to care for a close family member

seriously ill with COVID-19 or COVID-19 symptoms, or to recover from their own diagnosis of COVID-19?

67

36

84

10

Favor Oppose Not sure

Not so strongly favor Not so strongly oppose

Strongly favor Strongly oppose

Favor Oppose Margin

Men 80 14 +66Women 87 6 +81Under 30 79 16 +6330 to 39 84 6 +7840 to 49 88 5 +8350 to 64 82 12 +7065 and over 85 8 +77Democrat ID 90 6 +84Independent ID 72 20 +52Republican ID 82 11 +70HH Income below $50K 84 9 +75HH Income $50K+ 85 10 +75Parents 85 8 +77No Children 84 10 +74White 84 10 +74African American 84 13 +72Latinx 82 11 +71API 83 10 +73Yes to at least one caregiving impact 87 10 +77Yes to more than one caregiving impact 88 10 +78No impact 83 10 +73

63

Voters are split between 2 weeks of emergency paid leave being the right amount of time or not enough. Men, younger voters, Independents, Republicans, higher income voters, parents, Latinx voters, and Asian American/Pacific Islanders tend to think it is the right amount of time. Women, older voters, Democrats, lower-income voters, those without minor children, and African Americans tend to think it is not enough.

Is 2 weeks of emergency paid leave for people to care for a close family member seriously ill with COVID-19 or COVID-

19 symptoms, or to recover from their own diagnosis of COVID-19 the right amount of time, too much time, or not

enough time?

38

8

40

14

Right amountof time

Too muchtime

Not enoughtime

Not sure

Right Too Much Not Enough

Men 43 11 33Women 34 6 46Under 30 40 19 2930 to 39 43 8 3640 to 49 45 9 3550 to 64 35 6 4865 and over 34 3 43Democrat ID 32 7 51Independent ID 43 6 29Republican ID 44 10 29HH Income below $50K 34 9 42HH Income $50K+ 43 8 37Parents 45 12 32No Children 36 7 43White 39 6 40African American 29 18 46Latinx 49 8 33API 44 15 31Yes to at least one caregiving impact 40 16 35Yes to more than one caregiving impact 44 20 32No impact 38 5 41

CBC

64

Two-thirds to three-quarters favor iterations of temporary and permanent paid leave policies, with about half who strongly favor them.

Do you favor or oppose the following proposals?

51

48

47

47

47

74

69

73

69

70

8

10

7

10

9

20

18

Temporary emergency leave for up to 12 weeks for workers who are sick,quarantined or self-isolating or caring for a family member who is sick,

quarantined or self-isolating and can't care for themselves

A permanent policy of paid leave for new parents for up to 12 weeks, sopeople can care for a newborn or newly adopted child

Temporary paid family caregiving leave for use in this emergency for up to 12weeks for the care of an adult who needs help with self-care or care of a child

whose place of care, school or childcare is closed or unavailable

A permanent policy of paid family care leave for up to 12 weeks so peoplecan care for a seriously ill family member, including a parent, spouse, or child

A permanent policy of paid medical leave for up to 12 weeks so people canaddress their own serious health condition

Net

+54

+47

+55

+46

+47



23

22

23

CBC

65

Women, voters in their 30s and 40s, Black voters, and Democrats make up the base of support for paid leave policies, but all groups favor all the policies.

% Strongly Favor

Temporary 12 weeks for sick, quarantined, self-isolating workers or caregivers

A permanent 12 week

parental leave policy

Temporary 12 weeks for the

care of an adult who needs help

with self-care or care of a

child

A permanent 12 week policy so people can

care for a seriously ill

family member,

including a parent,

spouse, or child

A permanent 12 week policy so people can address their own serious

health condition

All 51 48 47 47 47

GenderM 49 39 44 42 41

W 53 55 50 52 52

Age

<30 44 45 39 37 38

30-39 58 55 50 53 51

40-49 62 55 58 57 54

50-64 54 48 48 48 51

65+ 42 40 44 43 42

Race

W 51 47 47 47 46

AA 55 59 54 54 54

L 46 44 44 43 46

API 40 44 36 34 41

HH Income<$50K 53 51 50 50 49

$50K+ 50 45 46 46 46

ParentsYes 59 51 50 48 48

No 48 47 46 47 47

PIDD 63 60 60 61 62

I 34 32 29 28 26

R 45 39 39 38 37

EducationNC 52 49 47 49 47

C 50 46 47 45 47

• Women are more intensely favorable than men toward all policies.

• Voters under 30 and over 50 are less intensely favorable than voters in their 30s and 40s.

• Black voters are the most intensely favorable, and Asian American/Pacific Islanders are the least.

• There is less difference based on income.

• Parents are more intensely favorable toward a temporary COVID-19 sick leave, but there are few differences on other policies.

• Democrats are the most intensely favorable. Republicans are more intensely favorable than Independents.

• There is less difference based on education.

CBC

66

Liberals also make up the base of support for paid leave. Voters across region and state strongly favor each policy with solid intensity. Voters who have had negative outcomes at work due to a caregiving responsibility show more intensity than those who have not had negative outcomes.

% Strongly Favor

Temporary 12 weeks for

sick, quarantined, self-isolating workers or caregivers

A permanent 12 week parental

leave policy

Temporary 12 weeks for the care of an

adult who needs help

with self-care or care of a

child

A permanent 12 week policy so

people can care for a

seriously ill family

member, including a

parent, spouse, or

child

A permanent 12 week policy so

people can address their own serious

health condition

All 51 48 47 47 47

Region

Northeast 52 51 48 49 50

Midwest 55 46 48 47 46

South 52 50 49 49 46

West 45 42 42 43 47

State

FL 53 52 49 53 50

MI 57 54 53 52 51

NV 50 48 47 45 54

IdeologyLib 68 64 64 64 63

Mod 52 46 47 47 47

Con 36 34 33 33 33

Industry

Frontline 53 51 50 50 52

Education* 39 39 36 39 38

Service 58 47 50 50 53

None of those 57 51 48 45 49

Caregiving Impact on Job

Yes at least 1 59 53 51 51 53

Yes 1+ 59 55 50 53 52

No impact 48 46 46 46 45

• Voters in the West are less intensely favorable than voters in other regions.

• Michigan voters are especially favorable toward a temporary COVID-19 sick leave policy.

• Liberals are more intensely favorable than moderates, though at least a plurality of moderates strongly favor every policy.

• Voters employed in the education industry are less intensely favorable than voters in other professions.

• Voters who have experienced a negative outcome at work due to caregiving responsibilities are more intensely favorable than those who have not experienced any negative outcomes due to caregiving responsibilities.

*note small sample size CBC

67

Similarly, over half of voters find temporary and permanent policies to be important.

How important are the following proposals?

34

33

32

32

31

27

24

26

24

24

15

15

17

15

14

8

8

8

8

9

9

12

9

12

12

3

3

3

3

4

Temporary emergency leave for up to 12 weeksfor workers who are sick, quarantined or self-

isolating or caring for a family member

A permanent policy of paid family care leave forup to 12 weeks so people can care for a seriouslyill family member, including a parent, spouse, or

child

Temporary paid family caregiving leave for use inthis emergency for up to 12 weeks for the care of

an adult who needs help with self-care or childwhose place of care, school or childcare is closed

or unavailable

A permanent policy of paid medical leave for up to12 weeks so people can address their own serious

health condition

A permanent policy of paid leave for new parentsfor up to 12 weeks, so people can care for a

newborn or newly adopted child

Mean

7.6

7.4

7.5

7.4

7.2

10 - Very Important 8-9 6-7 5 1-4 0 – Not Important At All CBC

68

Voters are most favorable and believe it is important to have a temporary policy of 12 weeks of paid leave for COVID-19 related care and recovery. However, they find every policy to be important and they are very favorable toward every policy.

A temporary COVID-19 policy of paid family caregiving leave for use in this emergency for up to 12 weeks for the care of an adult who needs help with self-care and whose place of care is

closed or caregiver is unavailable, or care of a …

A temporary COVID-19 policy of emergency leave for up to 12

weeks for workers who are sick, quarantined or self-isolating or

caring for a family member who is sick, quarantined or self-isolating

and can't care for themselves

A permanent policy of paid medical leave for up to 12 weeks so people can address their own

serious health condition

A permanent policy of paid family care leave for up to 12 weeks so people can care for a seriously ill family member, …

A permanent policy of paid leave for new parents for up to 12

weeks, so people can care for a newborn or newly adopted child

40%

45%

50%

55%

60%

50% 55% 60% 65% 70%

% S

tro

ngl

y Fa

vor

% Rated “8-10” Important CBC

69

CBC

There is drop-off in favorability toward a 2 week policy and a 12 week policy for COVID-19 related care or recovery, especially for intense support.

Do you favor or oppose paid medical leave in this emergency for two weeks for people to care for a close family member seriously ill with COVID-19 or COVID-19

symptoms, or to recover from their own diagnosis of COVID-19?

67

36

84

10




Do you favor or oppose temporary emergency leave for up to 12 weeks for workers who are sick,

quarantined or self-isolating or caring for a family member who is sick, quarantined or self-isolating and

can't care for themselves?

51

86

74

23


The strongly favor numbers decrease for the 12 week policy across demographic and attitudinal subgroups by 10 points or more. The largest decreases in strongly favor are among:• Seniors (-26)• Latinx voters (-24)• Asian American/Pacific Islanders (-21)• Conservatives (-20)

-16

70

Voters are solidly in favor of expanding current laws so that workers at businesses with more than 500 employees are covered, COVID-19 leave will last for 12 weeks instead of 2, and caregivers for adults who need help with self-care are covered, just as parents are covered.

Do you favor or oppose the following proposals?

55

55

50

75

75

72

5

7

8

15

18

20

Expanding this law, so it also applies to employees who work forbusinesses that have more than 500 employees

Expansion of this law, so people can recover from their ownCOVID-19 illness and receive paid leave for up to 12 work weeks

if their health requires it

Expanding this law, so it also applies to people who arecaregivers for adults who need help with self-care and whose

place of care is closed or caregiver is unavailable

Net

+60

+56

+52

Current federal law says that workers in businesses with under 500 employees can receive paid sick time when themselves or a family member has been diagnosed with COVID-19, quarantining or self-isolating for up to 10 workdays.

Current federal law also says that parents and caregivers who cannot work because their child’s school or childcare is closed or unavailable can receive paid leave for up to 12 work weeks

Current federal law says that workers can receive paid sick time when themselves or a family member has been diagnosed with COVID-19, quarantining or self-isolating for up to 10 workdays.


Strongly favor Strongly oppose CBC

71

Women, voters in their 30s and 40s, Black voters, and Democrats make up the base of support for expanding current emergency legislation.

% Strongly Favor (% Total) Expanding Law

So That It…

33 Applies to workers at

businesses with more than 500

employees

35 Expand up to 12 weeks for COVID-19 related leave if health requires it

34 Applies to caregivers of adults

who cannot care for themselves

All 55 (75) 55 (75) 50 (72)

GenderM 52 (73) 52 (71) 44 (68)

W 58 (77) 59 (78) 56 (75)

Age

<30 46 (67) 49 (65) 48 (68)

30-39 57 (78) 61 (79) 54 (76)

40-49 64 (80) 63 (77) 56 (75)

50-64 53 (73) 55 (75) 50 (73)

65+ 55 (76) 51 (76) 47 (69)

Race

W 56 (76) 55 (75) 49 (72)

AA 58 (79) 58 (76) 59 (78)

L 48 (67) 57 (70) 55 (68)

API 43 (59) 43 (61) 37 (67)

HH Income<$50K 56 (75) 58 (76) 55 (75)

$50K+ 55 (76) 54 (74) 47 (70)

ParentsYes 58 (77) 62 (76) 56 (75)

No 54 (74) 53 (74) 48 (71)

PID

D 66 (84) 68 (84) 62 (82)

I 38 (60) 34 (59) 32 (55)

R 49 (71) 49 (70) 44 (67)

EducationNC 54 (73) 57 (75) 53 (72)

C 57 (77) 54 (74) 46 (72)

• Women are more intensely favorable than men to all expansions of the current law.

• Voters under 30 and over 50 are less intensely favorable than voters in their 30s and 40s.

• Black voters and Latinx voters are the most intensely favorable, and Asian American/Pacific Islanders are the least.

• There is less difference based on income, although higher income voters are less intensely favorable toward expanding for caregivers of adults.

• Parents are more intensely favorable toward expanding COVID-19 leave from 2 weeks to 12 weeks and including caregivers of adults.

• Democrats are the most intensely favorable. Republicans are more intensely favorable than Independents.

• There is less difference based on education, although college voters are less intensely favorable toward expanding for caregivers of adults.

CBC

72

Voters across region and state strongly favor every expansion of the current law. There is solid support across industry type and among Liberals and Moderates.

% Strongly Favor (% Total Favor) Expanding Law

So That It…

33 Applies to workers at

businesses with more than 500

employees

35 Expand up to 12 weeks for

COVID-19 related leave if health

requires it

34 Applies to caregivers of adults who

cannot care for themselves.

All 55 (75) 55 (75) 50 (72)

Region

Northeast 54 (73) 58 (72) 53 (72)

Midwest 53 (75) 55 (73) 47 (73)

South 57 (77) 57 (77) 54 (74)

West 54 (72) 51 (74) 46 (68)

State

FL 56 (78) 59 (78) 52 (74)

MI 56 (81) 59 (78) 51 (77)

NV 54 (78) 52 (71) 48 (71)

Ideology

Lib 69 (87) 72 (87) 67 (86)

Mod 56 (77) 55 (76) 48 (73)

Con 43 (65) 42 (64) 38 (61)

Industry

Frontline 60 (78) 60 (80) 54 (77)

Education 51 (70) 44 (70) 37 (66)

Service 55 (78) 66 (80) 58 (76)None of

those58 (79) 61 (78) 51 (73)

• There are few differences by region.

• Florida and Michigan voters are more intensely favorable toward expanding COVID-19 leave from 2 weeks to 12 weeks.

• Liberals are more intensely favorable than moderates, though at least a plurality of moderates are very favorable toward every expansion.

• Voters employed in the education industry are less intensely favorable than voters in other professions.

CBC

73

When the question includes federal funding with a tax increase, voters split between employees and employers sharing the costs, and the federal budget funding it. Without the tax increase, voters prefer shared costs between employees and employers.

After the coronavirus crisis is over, how do you think a national paid family and medical leave policy should be funded?

26

24

15

11

5

2

1

15

Employers and employees shouldshare costs

Federal budget funds it, even if itmeans a tax increase

Employers or companies onlyshould fund it

I do not support a national paidfamily and medical leave policy

Employees only should fund it

People should fund it by drawingearly from Social Security

Other

Not sure

34

21

14

10

4

2

1

13

Employers and employeesshould share costs

Federal budget funds it





Other

Not sure

Split sampled CBC

74

Democrats prefer federal funding, Republicans prefer shared costs, and Independents are not sure. About one-in-five Independents and Republicans respond that they do not support a national policy.

Funding Mechanism by PID

Dem Ind Rep

26 16 31

34 15 14

18 15 12

3 19 20

4 7 6

2 0 3

2 2 1

12 25 13

26

24

15

11

5

2

1

15


Federal budget funds it, even if itmeans a tax increase





Other

Not sure


CBC

75

Without the tax increase, Democrats split between shared costs and federal funding, Republicans prefer shared costs, and Independents split between shared costs and not sure. Only one-in-five Republicans and one-in-ten Independents do not support a national policy.

Funding Mechanism by PID

Dem Ind Rep

33 29 36

29 20 13

18 7 12

3 9 19

3 5 7

1 0 2

1 1 2

11 28 9


34

21

14

10

4

2

1

13


Federal budget funds it





Other

Not sure

CBC

76

Rewarding Businesses and Congresspeople


77

A majority of voters say they are more likely to buy from a business that supports paid leave, and two-thirds feel more favorable toward that business.

Somewhat more likely Somewhat less likely

Much more likely Much less likely

28

3

26

8

57

9

More likely Less likely No difference Not sure

If a well-known national business that sells consumer goods and services came out publicly in support of a national paid family and medical leave policy, would you be more or less likely to buy products and services you

need from that company?

If a well-known national business came out publicly in support of a national paid family and medical leave policy, would you feel more or less

favorable toward the business?

Split sampled

35

4

186

66

10

More favorable Less favorable No difference Not sure

Somewhat more favorable Somewhat less favorable

Much more favorable Much less favorable CBC

78

While there is little difference on favorability compared to past data, voters are more likely to be not sure about their buying habits now.

If a well-known national business that sells consumer goods and services came out publicly in

support of a national paid family and medical leave policy, would you be more or less likely to buy

products and services you need from that company?

If a well-known national business came out publicly in support of a national paid family and medical leave policy, would you feel

more or less favorable toward the business?

Split sampled


Perry Undem 2018

28

27

29

35

26

30

8

1

6

5

3

3



No difference Not sure

Somewhat more favorable Somewhat less favorable

Much more favorable Much less favorable

No difference Not sure

35

39

31

29

18

22

6

1

6

7

4

2

79

Two-thirds of voters are more likely to vote for a member of Congress or U.S. Senator who voted to ensure all workers have access to paid family and medical leave during the pandemic AND permanently.



34

615

7

66

13


Would you be more or less likely to vote for your member of Congress or your U.S. Senator if you knew they voted to make sure all workers in the U.S. have access to paid family and medical leave during this pandemic?

Would you be more or less likely to vote for your member of Congress or your U.S. Senator if you knew they voted to make sure all workers in the

U.S. have access to paid family and medical leave from now on?

Split sampled

37

7 12 7

64

17


CBC

80

Facts


81

Mean

7.2

7.2

7.0

7.1

6.8

Facts do not generate much intensity. This is values-oriented terrain, not factual. That said, the most effective facts focus on the vaccine, the 70-100 million of workers who were left out in the legislation, the 81% who do not have paid leave with disparities, the impact on women who care for sick family members disproportionately, and the importance of keeping workers connected to their employers.

Here are some facts about paid family and medical leave. For each, select a number from 0 to 10, where 0 means you are much lesslikely to support a national paid family and medical leave policy, and 10 means you are much more likely to support a national paid

family and medical leave policy, and you can be anywhere in between.

29

27

25

25

25

22

25

23

24

21

17

19

19

20

18

10

10

9

11

11

13

9

12

11

14

3

4

4

4

5

Experts say it may be 12-18 months until there is a vaccine for COVID. Until there is a vaccine, people with

childcare and family caregiving responsibilities will struggle to balance work and life and people need to

be able to stay home or self-isolate…

The emergency legislation that Congress passed toprovide emergency paid leave during the COVID crisisleft out 70-100 million people who work in the private

sector - well over half the workforce. All workersshould be covered

Right now, 81% of people in the U.S. who work areNOT able to get paid family leave through their

employers to care for a loved one or a new child.People of color, and people in hourly, lower-wage jobs

are more likely to have care responsibilities...

Women leave their jobs for family reasons much morefrequently than men. Parenting or caregiving for a sickfamily member usually falls on women - and most do

not have the option of paid family leave right now

There is no returning to normal after COVID, it will behere for a long time and we have to do everything we

can to keep working families connected to theiremployer to get through these times

10 - Much more likely to support 8-9 6-7 5 1-4 0 – Much less likely to support CBC

82

In a section tier are facts about pooling payroll deductions, Congress allocating $2 trillion for relief and needing to include paid leave, unemployment and unexpected expenses of $400, the larger business loophole, and the impact on women with schools closed.



24

24

23

23

23

22

22

25

25

23

28

27

17

20

18

15

17

19

11

8

9

11

10

12

13

11

12

13

13

10

5

5

3

6

2

4

Once the COVID crisis is over, we can create anational paid family and medical leave programaffordably and without adding to the deficit bypooling payroll deductions of less than $2 per…

Congress has allocated over 2 trillion dollars forvarious COVID relief measures to workers,businesses, hospitals, and state and local

governments. Paid leave should be part of that…

Even before over 26 million people filedunemployment claims in March and April, forty

percent of adults in the U.S. said they were unableto cover an unexpected expense of $400 or…

The emergency legislation that Congress passed toprovide emergency paid leave during the COVIDcrisis has loopholes that say that employers with

more than 500 employees are not required to…

Women leave their jobs for family reasons muchmore frequently than men. Parenting or

caregiving for children whose schools or child careproviders are closed or unavailable right now is…

Forty percent of adults in the U.S. say they areunable to cover an unexpected expense of $400 or

more, including for an unexpected family ormedical need, without borrowing money or…

Mean

6.8

7.0

7.1

6.8

7.1

7.0

10 - Much more likely to support 8-9 6-7 5 1-4 0 – Much less likely to support CBC

83

Less effective facts focus on high wage workers having paid leave, small businesses not being able to afford leave, and not being able to afford paid leave given other relief measures.

Here are some facts about paid family and medical leave. For each, select a number from 0 to 10, where 0 means you are much less likely to support a national paid family and medical leave policy, and 10 means you are much more likely to support a national paid family and medical leave policy, and you

can be anywhere in between.

21

20

19

17

16

24

24

26

16

17

19

21

23

18

17

11

10

12

11

12

11

12

9

21

20

6

3

4

7

10

Right now, only 19 percent of people in the UnitedStates who work are able to get paid family leavethrough their employers to care for a loved one ora new child. These are usually high wage workers

and people in management positions, which…

Many small business owners say they think oftheir employees like family, but with the

economic devastation of coronavirus, they can'tafford to offer paid leave to their employees on

their own

Many small business owners say they think oftheir employees like family but can't afford to

offer paid leave to their employees on their own


governments, and that is on top of the 1 trillion-dollar federal deficit we already have. We can't…


governments. We can't afford a national paidleave program

10 - Much more likely to support 8-9 6-7 5 1-4 0 – Much less likely to support

Mean

6.8

6.9

6.9

5.8

5.8

CBC

84

There is some overlap between the base and Independents on the most effective facts. However, soft supporters respond to unique facts.

Base Soft Supporters Independents

Women leave their jobs for family reasons much more frequently than men. Parenting or caregiving for children whose schools or child care providers are closed or unavailable right now is falling on women – and most do not have the option of paid family leave right now. (78% rate 8-10)

Experts say it may be 12-18 months until there is a vaccine for COVID. Until there is a vaccine, people with childcare and family caregiving responsibilities will struggle to balance work and life and people need to be able to stay home or self-isolate when they’re sick without losing pay or their job. (77% rate 8-10)

Right now, 81 percent of people in the United States who work are NOT able to get paid family leave through their employers to care for a loved one or a new child. People of color, and people in hourly, lower-wage jobs are more likely to have care responsibilities but less likely to have paid leave. (77% rate 8-10)

Even before over 26 million people filed unemployment claims in March and April, forty percent of adults in the U.S. said they were unable to cover an unexpected expense of $400 or more, including for an unexpected family or medical need, without borrowing money or selling some of their possessions. (54% rate 8-10)

The emergency legislation that Congress passed to provide emergency paid leave during the COVID crisis has loopholes that say that employers with more than 500 employees are not required to provide any form of paid leave, and employers with fewer than 50 employees can be exempted from providing child care leave. This means that 70-100 million people have been left out of these emergency paid leave protections - well over half the workforce. All workers should be covered. (51% rate 8-10)

The emergency legislation that Congress passed to provide emergency paid leave during the COVID crisis left out 70-100 million people who work in the private sector - well over half the workforce. All workers should be covered. (46% rate 8-10)

Women leave their jobs for family reasons much more frequently than men. Parenting or caregiving for children whose schools or child care providers are closed or unavailable right now is falling on women – and most do not have the option of paid family leave right now. (43% rate 8-10)

Experts say it may be 12-18 months until there is a vaccine for COVID. Until there is a vaccine, people with childcare and family caregiving responsibilities will struggle to balance work and life and people need to be able to stay home or self-isolate when they're sick without losing pay or their job (41% rate 8-10)

Here are some facts about paid family and medical leave. For each, select a number from 0 to 10, where 0 means you are much less likely to support a national paid family and medical leave policy, and 10 means you are much more likely to support a national paid family and medical leave policy, and you

can be anywhere in between.

CBC

85

It is more effective with Democrats and Independents to focus on the struggles of people with childcare and family caregiving responsibilities rather than keeping working families connected to their employers.

% Much more likely to supportAll

VotersDem Ind Rep

Experts say it may be 12-18 months until there is a vaccine for COVID. Until there is a vaccine, people with childcare and family caregiving responsibilities will struggle to balance work and life and people need to be able to stay home or self-isolate when they’re sick without losing pay or their job.

29 42 17 18

There is no returning to normal after COVID, it will be here for a long time and we have to do everything we can to keep working families connected to their employer to get through these times.

25 36 7 18



CBC

86

Additional information about the emergency paid leave loopholes does not add anything to the debate.


VotersDem Ind Rep

The emergency legislation that Congress passed to provide emergency paid leave during the COVID crisis left out 70-100 million people who work in the private sector - well over half the workforce. All workers should be covered.

27 38 15 18

The emergency legislation that Congress passed to provide emergency paid leave during the COVID crisis has loopholes that say that employers with more than 500 employees are not required to provide any form of paid leave, and employers with fewer than 50 employees can be exempted from providing child care leave. This means that 70-100 million people have been left out of these emergency paid leave protections - well over half the workforce. All workers should be covered.

23 32 11 18



CBC

87

It is slightly stronger among Democrats to focus on who is left out rather than who has paid leave. There is little difference for other groups.


VotersDem Ind Rep

Right now, 81 percent of people in the United States who work are NOT able to get paid family leave through their employers to care for a loved one or a new child. People of color, and people in hourly, lower-wage jobs are more likely to have care responsibilities but less likely to have paid leave.

25 37 13 16

Right now, only 19 percent of people in the United States who work are able to get paid family leave through their employers to care for a loved one or a new child. These are usually high wage workers and people in management positions, which means that workers without paid leave are those with middle and lower incomes and little-to-no savings.

21 31 10 15



CBC

88

Independents respond slightly better to the impact on women with schools closed, while Republicans respond slightly better to caring for sick family members.


VotersDem Ind Rep

Women leave their jobs for family reasons much more frequently than men. Parenting or caregiving for a sick family member usually falls on women – and most do not have the option of paid family leave right now.

25 34 10 19

Women leave their jobs for family reasons much more frequently than men. Parenting or caregiving for children whose schools or child care providers are closed or unavailable right now is falling on women – and most do not have the option of paid family leave right now.

23 32 16 15



CBC

89

Across party identification, voters respond better to including paid leave in the massive relief measures rather than arguments that we cannot afford it.


VotersDem Ind Rep

Congress has allocated over 2 trillion dollars for various COVID relief measures to workers, businesses, hospitals, and state and local governments. Paid leave should be part of that total spending.

24 32 18 17

Congress has allocated over 2 trillion dollars for various COVID relief measures to workers, businesses, hospitals, and state and local governments, and that is on top of the 1 trillion-dollar federal deficit we already have. We can’t afford a national paid leave program.

17 24 8 12

Congress has allocated over 2 trillion dollars for various COVID relief measures to workers, businesses, hospitals, and state and local governments. We can’t afford a national paid leave program. 16 21 9 12



CBC

90

Except among Independents, there is little difference between facts about an unexpected expense that do and do not reference the unprecedented unemployment numbers.


VotersDem Ind Rep

Even before over 26 million people filed unemployment claims in March and April, forty percent of adults in the U.S. said they were unable to cover an unexpected expense of $400 or more, including for an unexpected family or medical need, without borrowing money or selling some of their possessions.

23 33 13 16

Forty percent of adults in the U.S. say they are unable to cover an unexpected expense of $400 or more, including for an unexpected family or medical need, without borrowing money or selling some of their possessions.

22 34 6 15



CBC

91

Small business facts are not very effective.


VotersDem Ind Rep

Many small business owners say they think of their employees like family, but with the economic devastation of coronavirus, they can’t afford to offer paid leave to their employees on their own. 20 28 10 17

Many small business owners say they think of their employees like family but can’t afford to offer paid leave to their employees on their own.

19 29 8 11



CBC

92

Engaged Debates


93

CBC

6358

2532

12 9

Economy Basic standard of living

(+37) (+26)

The statement that speaks about the experiences of laid off people coupled with the economy works best. Whether framed as an economic imperative due to the layoffs during the pandemic or a guarantee of a basic standard of living during the crisis, voters side by wide margins with a role for government.

Which statement is closer to your views, even if neither is exactly right?

When people are laid off or not paid because they are sick or need to care for a family member, there is less money in our economy. When the

economy is on the line, the government should get involved.

With the coronavirus pandemic, everyone needs to do the best they can with what they have to take care of their families.

The government should play an active role to guarantee a basic standard of living for families during the coronavirus crisis by guaranteeing everyone has paid sick days and creating a national program of family and medical leave.

Not sure

It is each person’s responsibility to take care of their own family. The government should stay out of it.

Split sampled

94

(+34) (+3)62

46

28

43

11 11

Healthier/Limit Spread - Reimbursement Healthier/Limit Spread

While concerns about small business remain salient, when we add language about government reimbursement, voters favor the paid leave argument by more than two-to-one. Without the promise of a government reimbursement, voters split between the pressure on small business and the healthier workforce arguments.


With the coronavirus pandemic, paid sick days provided by businesses and reimbursed by the government will result in a healthier workforce and limit

the spread of the contagion.

With the coronavirus pandemic, it is too hard on small businesses to give their employees paid sick days for up to 2 weeks.

Paid sick days provided by business will result in a healthier workforce and limit the spread of the contagion.

Not sure

With the coronavirus pandemic, it is too hard and costly on small businesses to give their employees paid sick days for up to 2 weeks, even

if they are reimbursed by the government.

Split sampled CBC

95

60 56

2733

13 11

Available for all Future available for all

(+33) (+23)

The “costly mandate” and “we can’t afford it” arguments are not salient to voters. Taking the burden off of small businesses and employers is strong language. It is more powerful to talk about the policy as a fact now than the crisis and the future.


A national program of family and medical leave that's set up when the crisis is over to protect us in the future would make paid leave available for all,

and take the financial burden of providing such benefits off of small businesses and employers.

With the coronavirus pandemic, we do not need another costly Washington mandate requiring the government, individuals, and businesses to pay for a

paid family and medical leave program for up to 12 weeks.

A national program of family and medical leave would make paid leave available for all, and take the financial burden of providing such benefits off

of small businesses and employers.

Not sure

Even after we are past this crisis, it will be too hard for the government, individuals, and businesses to afford a paid family and medical leave program

for up to 12 weeks.

Split sampled CBC

96

(+24) (+18)

CBC

57 54

33 37

10 9

Help Restart Economy - Second Wave Help Restart Economy

Bringing in the recession is not salient either. By double-digit margins, voters side with arguments about the role paid leave has in getting people back to work in restarting the economy. The “second wave” acknowledgement is even stronger.


Once stay-at-home orders are lifted, we must do whatever we can to get the economy out of a recession and moving again. Paid leave allows people to

keep their jobs and get back to work to help restart the economy.

Once the immediate health risk is over, we must do whatever we can to get the economy out of a recession and moving again, and we cannot afford another big new cost for paid leave, especially for small businesses.

Once stay-at-home orders are lifted, we must do whatever we can to get the economy out of a recession and moving again. Paid leave allows people to keep their jobs and get back to work to help restart the economy, knowing

that if a second wave hits, employees’ health and care needs can be met and businesses can protect their customers.

Not sureSplit sampled

97

For most engaged debates, the degree of success and variation rests with Republicans, who are very sensitive to language. Government reimbursement is very strong for Independents. Across party identification, statements on the role of government in the paid leave context outperform broad role of government statements.

Margin Pro Paid Leave Minus Anti Paid Leave All voters Democrat Independent Republican

Economy +37 +66 +10 +14

Basic standard of living +26 +58 +12 -2

Healthier/limit spread - reimbursement +34 +51 +26 +18

Healthier/limit spread +3 +21 -13 -12

Available for all +33 +56 +9 +15

Future available for all +23 +54 +12 -7

Help restart economy - second wave +24 +50 +11 -1

Help restart economy +18 +43 +5 -5

Baseline basic standard of living +19 +56 -1 -15

Baseline care without financial harm +24 +59 +9 -8


CBC

Baseline language: The government should play an active role in society to guarantee a basic standard of living for families.The government should play an active role in society in ensuring people can care for themselves and their families without experiencing financial harm.It is each person’s responsibility to take care of their own family, the government should stay out of it.

Split sampled

98

Soft supporters side with the pro-paid leave statements by very large margins on most debates. However, the second wave language is much stronger, and soft supporters are worried about small businesses without the reimbursement language. Among the base, paid leave statements about the role of government outperform broad role of government statements. Soft supporters are very motivated by avoiding financial harm in a broad statement.

Margin Pro Paid Leave Minus Anti Paid Leave All voters Base Soft Supporters

Economy +37 +72 +29

Basic standard of living +26 +71 +37

Healthier/limit spread - reimbursement +34 +60 +52

Healthier/limit spread +3 +41 -7

Available for all +33 +68 +34

Future available for all +23 +60 +47

Help restart economy - second wave +24 +56 +43

Help restart economy +18 +56 +4

Baseline Basic standard of living +19 +52 -1

Baseline Care without financial harm +24 +68 +51


CBC

Split sampled

Baseline language: The government should play an active role in society to guarantee a basic standard of living for families.The government should play an active role in society in ensuring people can care for themselves and their families without experiencing financial harm.It is each person’s responsibility to take care of their own family, the government should stay out of it.

99

Messages


100

Overall, the messages test well, but support for paid leave policies themselves are so strong that the messages only reaffirm and justify voters’ support rather than augment it.

Here are some statements people have made about paid sick days and paid family and medical leave. How convincing is each statement to support paid sick days and paid family and medical leave?*

393838373736363635353433

3130

6867

6369

7167

6165

6269

6362

6563

Rationale

Health care

Lottery disadvantage

Groundwork

Public health

Caught unprepared

Above water

Emergency

Prosperity and hardship

Rebuilding the economy

Foundation

Protect and support

Biz and worker connection

Biz and workers together

Very Convincing *split sampledSomewhat Convincing CBC

101

CBC

% Very Convincing All

Gender Age Race PID

M W <30 30-39 40-49 50-64 65+ W AA D I R

Rationale 39 34 43 30 40 41 41 40 41 38 54 23 29

Health care 38 36 40 27 38 47 39 39 39 36 56 24 25

Lottery disadvantage 38 31 44 34 37 36 36 43 34 49 57 20 22

Groundwork 37 34 39 28 45 45 36 33 38 29 50 18 30

Public health 37 33 40 37 38 41 34 35 36 47 49 21 28

Caught unprepared 36 35 38 31 41 40 36 36 37 41 52 17 28

Above water 36 33 40 39 36 38 30 41 33 46 50 25 26

Emergency 36 31 40 33 41 32 32 40 32 53 49 23 24

Prosperity and hardship 35 35 36 33 36 31 35 39 31 50 50 22 23

Rebuilding the economy 35 34 36 30 39 44 33 33 35 39 48 19 27

Foundation 34 33 35 25 35 35 33 39 32 42 48 17 23

Protect and support 33 29 36 33 35 27 30 39 31 46 45 20 24

Biz and worker connection 31 32 30 27 33 41 29 29 31 31 44 17 23

Biz and workers together 30 27 32 28 32 28 30 30 27 46 40 18 20

There is not one golden message and targeting different messages by audience works better. The top messages describe real lived experience, draw ties to health care, and talk about vulnerable people. The top three messages tend to work across subgroups, but men, younger voters, African Americans, Independents, and Republicans respond to some unique messaging outside of the top three.

*split sampled


102

CBC

% Very Convincing All

HH Income Education Parents State Ideology

<$50K $50K NC C Yes No FL MI NV Lib Mod Con

Rationale 39 41 38 38 40 39 39 43 49 35 58 33 27

Health care 38 39 39 36 42 33 41 41 43 37 56 33 26

Lottery disadvantage 38 44 33 39 36 41 37 39 39 51 56 41 19

Groundwork 37 39 36 36 38 41 36 37 48 26 50 33 29

Public health 37 42 34 37 35 36 37 38 41 25 52 31 28

Caught unprepared 36 37 38 36 37 36 37 44 43 27 55 29 26

Above water 36 42 31 36 37 38 36 38 45 46 53 37 18

Emergency 36 40 34 36 35 43 33 44 30 38 49 41 18

Prosperity and hardship 35 39 34 36 34 39 34 43 38 40 52 39 17

Rebuilding the economy 35 40 32 36 34 34 36 38 39 26 52 30 25

Foundation 34 36 33 35 31 41 31 30 34 45 50 32 19

Protect and support 33 34 33 35 30 40 30 43 41 45 45 34 21

Biz and worker connection 31 34 30 33 29 32 31 33 32 23 48 26 20

Biz and workers together 30 34 26 29 31 37 27 39 27 40 39 34 17

Again, the top three messages tend to work. Lower income voters, higher income voters, parents, liberals, moderates, and conservatives all respond to unique messaging beyond the top three. Messaging should be targeted by state as well.

*split sampled


103

CBC

The base responds to a number of message frames. However, soft supporters are not very convinced by any message. The best testing resonates with about a third of soft supporters.

*split sampled

% Very Convincing AllTargets

Base Soft Supporters

Rationale 39 66 20

Health care 38 68 24

Lottery disadvantage 38 70 16

Groundwork 37 67 20

Public health 37 68 13

Caught unprepared 36 70 11

Above water 36 66 17

Emergency 36 65 32

Prosperity and hardship 35 65 15

Rebuilding the economy 35 68 6

Foundation 34 62 19

Protect and support 33 62 26

Biz and worker connection 31 59 9

Biz and workers together 30 55 11


104

The strongest testing messages among men, younger voters, African Americans, Independents, and Republicans include some top messages, but also include Caught Unprepared, Prosperity and Hardship, Public Health, Groundwork, and Above Water.

Men Voters Under 30 African Americans Independents Republicans

Health careCaught unprepared

Prosperity and hardship

Above waterPublic health

EmergencyProsperity and hardship

Lottery disadvantage

Above waterHealth careRationale

Groundwork Rationale

Public healthCaught unprepared


CBC

105

Full Text of Messages[Rationale (i)] Why are paid sick days and paid leave so important during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond? Because families can't afford to lose even a few days of pay, which means people go to work sick. No one should have to choose between health and a paycheck. Yet, right now, people are scared of losing their jobs or being forced to work sick in big box retail stores, grocery stores, and other essential businesses. That’s wrong.

[Health Care (k)] This pandemic has shown us that people need affordable health care they can access when they need it, and time to use it to recover from their own serious illnesses or injuries or to care for loved ones who are ill or injured. Today, too many of us have neither. As we look to the future, it is essential that health care and time for healing or caregiving go together to protect people who need care and all of us.

[Lottery disadvantage (f)] Coronavirus has shown us what people have long argued: Paid sick days and paid family and medical leave protections should have been in place nationally years ago. This pandemic has shown us how vulnerable people are when everything depends on where you work. Women, people of color, and people in hourly, lower-wage jobs are in a worse position because they are more likely to have care responsibilities but less likely to have paid leave.

[Groundwork (c)] The sudden, swift, and severe nature of the COVID-19 crisis has shown how desperately we need to guarantee comprehensive paid sick days and paid family and medical leave to every working person in this country during this emergency and lay the groundwork for permanent protections. Paid family and medical leave allows families to be there for the important first moments in the lives of their children and the last moments in the lives of their loved ones, or when a pandemic requires isolation and caution.

[Public health (e)] In these trying times we all want to protect the health and lives of our families, friends, and neighbors. And in an effort to flatten the curve, millions of Americans are working from home with caregiving resources largely unavailable. With childcare facilities and schools closed, parents and caregivers are doing their best to be good employees, good teachers, and good parents. Paid family and medical leave would help people doing the right thing to care for their families without sacrificing their family budget.

Sorted by Very ConvincingAll messages split sampled CBC

106

Full Text of Messages[Caught unprepared (g)] Right now, caring for loved ones and protecting our own health is literally a matter of life and death. But even before this crisis, many people forced to take unpaid leave risked being unable to pay for housing, food, and utilities. While we have never seen anything this widespread, we don’t want to be caught unprepared ever again - whether it is a public health crisis or a crisis in your own family. We need permanent paid sick days and leave for all.

[Above water (n)] The pandemic showed how the economy wasn’t working for all of us. People were depending on their next paycheck to keep their heads above water. Stagnant wages and the rising cost of living were already hurting too many of us. And now, millions more can’t make ends meet. As we get a chance to rebuild the economy, let’s make sure it includes living wages, the ability to save for the future, access to affordable health care, paid sick days, and paid family and medical leave.

[Emergency (j)] All of us are together in the COVID-19 crisis – a situation we couldn’t have imagined just 2 months ago. All of us are worried about our families’ health. What we’re living through makes vivid how fast a family health emergency can happen to any family and how important it is to be able to put your families’ health first while keeping your family afloat economically. It is clear now that paid leave is a policy we need for emergencies for all families.

[Prosperity and hardship (d)] The need for paid sick days and paid family and medical leave started before the coronavirus pandemic and it will not end overnight. Our nation stays healthy only when all of us have time to care for ourselves and heal or to provide care for our loved ones, without having to worry about losing our income. It is critical to guarantee paid sick days and paid family and medical leave in times of prosperity and hardship.

[Rebuilding the economy (m)] The key to full and fair opportunity is the ability to work while maintaining a safe and healthy life for one’s children and family. With the economy in deep recession, we have a chance to bring workers and businesses together to make sure everyone is healthy and safe and rebuild better than before. Paid sick days and paid family leave are key to protecting workers’ personal health, their households’ financial security, families’ health and well-being, the public’s health, and the country’s economy.

Sorted by % Very ConvincingCBCAll messages split sampled

107

Full Text of Messages[Foundation (h)] COVID-19 has shown us the health and economic consequences of the country’s failure to guarantee workers paid sick days and paid leave. Our families need a stronger foundation to help caregivers and those with medical needs remain in the workforce. To be secure in the future, working people need paid sick days and paid family and medical leave, so they never have to choose between earning a paycheck and being there when someone needs care.

[Protect and support (l)] Getting our country through coronavirus is a marathon. To endure however long this takes, businesses and working families need policies like paid family and medical leave to help them deal with the new normal. This would help protect the huge portions of workers that do not get a single day of paid leave, including many frontline and essential workers. And it would support the parents and caregivers who can’t return to work if schools and childcare stay closed. Paid leave is a common-sense solution.

[Biz and worker connection (a)] The time is long overdue to streamline workers’ access to paid leave while maintaining a strong connection to their employer. Helping workers and employers maintain a connection even while workers need to take time for care or health needs is especially important for the ramp-up of operations once this crisis has passed. Over the past decade, states and cities that have paid leave and paid sick days have seen positive effects with few if any drawbacks.

[Biz and workers together (b)] Having paid leave during this emergency means businesses and employees are in this together – employees can take time to deal with health care needs and businesses are temporarily getting reimbursed for paying the costs of leave instead of laying workers off. Finding new workers usually costs 16%-200% of a workers’ salary. When the crisis passes, businesses will be able to scale up operations, which is good for the economy and community. Then all of us will be able to get back to on our feet.

Sorted by % Very ConvincingCBCAll messages split sampled

108

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Documents

Findings from a National Survey on Paid Family and Medical ......Jun 26, 2020 · Findings from a National Survey on Paid Family and Medical Leave June 2020 Chesapeake Beach Consulting