From Early Ed Watch:

This is the second in a series of podcasts this summer on California’s laws for extended-time off, with a special focus on the state’s paid family leave program that enables new parents to take time off from work to bond with their babies.

In this podcast, New America’s David Gray talks with Kate Karpilow, executive director of the California Center for Research on Women and Families, who says the program has thrived despite the initial concerns that it would hurt the business community. One reason may be that the program is paid for through the state’s disabilities fund and therefore does not require businesses to write paychecks to employees on leave. “The sky-is-falling scenarios didn’t pan out,” she says.

Listen here.