Family Leave Optimal Coverage

What is FLOC? 

Family Leave Optimal Coverage (FLOC) is a state-run program that provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of job-protected paid leave from work, whether for the birth of a new child, the caregiving of an ill loved one, or the bereavement of a family member. Workers and employers share the cost of FLOC through small payroll contributions. FLOC is a portable benefit, so workers who qualify can receive assistance even if they switch jobs. 

Who does FLOC benefit? 

• Families; 
• Caregivers; 
• Working people; 
• Small businesses; 
• And disenfranchised and historically underrepresented groups.

• Evidence suggests that the potential benefits of paid leave outweigh expected costs; 
• Helps small businesses attract and retain top talent, leading to a more stable and committed workforce; 
• Reduces employee turnover, contributing to lower business costs and higher productivity; 
• Supports new parents and adults with serious health conditions in returning to work sooner; 
• And may have a positive effect on business profitability and employees’ future earnings. 

• Addresses gender and racial inequities, particularly benefiting women and women of color who bear a disproportionate share of caregiving responsibilities; 
• Helps more women participate in the labor force; 
• Decreases poverty and reliance on social welfare, especially for single mothers and parents with less education; 
• Reduces costs to other public programs, including SNAP; 
• Leads to a more equitable division of caregiving responsibilities between men and women; 
• And helps close the gap in racial and ethnic health inequities, particularly for Black mothers and infants. 

• Decreases healthcare costs; 
• Reduces infant deaths by up to 20%; 
• Reduces premature birth by nearly 7%; 
• Doubles the duration of breastfeeding; 
• Increases timely childhood vaccinations; 
• Decreases rehospitalization rates for newborns by 47%; 
• Improves postpartum health outcomes, including BMI, blood pressure, and depression; 
• Helps reduce the spread of contagious illness; 
• Decreases death from all causes by 16% among fathers who take paternity leave; 
• Mitigates nursing home use for family caregivers; 
• Among much more.