The U.S. Department of Labor announced a Request for Information regarding the impact of paid family and medical leave on America’s workforce.

Specifically, the Department’s Women’s Bureau is requesting comment on the effectiveness of current state- and employer-provided paid leave programs and the impact that access or lack of access to paid leave programs has on women and their families. The information provided will help the Department identify promising practices related to eligibility requirements, related costs, and administrative models of existing paid leave programs.

“Expanding workplace flexibility has long been a priority of the Women’s Bureau. Paid leave may also be valuable in enhancing the upward mobility of women workers and the well-being of American families,” said Women’s Bureau Director Dr. Laurie Todd-Smith. “The Women’s Bureau is interested in hearing from employers, employees, and other interested parties about the impact of various types of paid leave programs for employees of different income levels and employers of different sizes.”

This information-gathering effort will help the Department and the public identify promising practices related to eligibility requirements, related costs, administrative models of existing paid leave programs, and access to information about paid leave.

The Request for Information’s comment period will remain open for 60 days after its publication in the Federal Register. Instructions for submitting comments to the Federal Register are included in its FAQs.