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How family friendly are our candidates’ policies?

What changes have HIllary Clinton and Donald Trump proposed for parental leave and child care policies?

Today's guest blogger is Judith A. Levine, PhD, associate professor of sociology, at Temple University.

U.S. family policy is woefully out-of-step with our peer nations.  The U.S. is the only one of the 35 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development member countries that does not have paid parental leave.  Many other countries put significant government resources into child care.  The U.S. system is comparatively under-funded and under-developed leaving American parents to pay among the highest child care costs, averaging $10,000 a year per family.

Enter the Presidential election of 2016.

Both major party nominees have proposed family policies to address these issues.  No matter who wins, if they stick to their promises, we will see improvements in both parental leave and child care policy.  The question is, how much improvement and who will benefit most?

On parental leave, Trump proposes 6 weeks of paid maternal leave at unemployment insurance wages funded through the unemployment insurance system.  Clinton proposes 12 weeks of paid parental leave at two-thirds wages funded by increasing taxes on the wealthy.  Clinton's plan gives parents more time at home, allows fathers to spend time with kids too, and gives families more money.  That is better for families and gender equality.  It also costs more and could meet greater political resistance.

On child care, Trump recently proposed a set of three new tax benefits: An income tax deduction for child care expenses; a Dependent Care Savings Account allowing parents to put away up to $2000 for child care costs tax free coupled with a match of up to $500 for low-income families; and a tax rebate for child care expenses for low-income families that the campaign says could be worth $1200.  (A similar rebate already exists. The Trump plan allows families to pick between them.) Trump's child-care plan would help many parents, but because the wealthy face a higher tax rate, his tax deduction and Dependent Care Savings Account benefit the wealthy more.  Plus, only those who itemize expenses would benefit from the deduction.  Currently the majority of households making under $75,000 a year don't itemize because it isn't worth it.

Clinton has vowed that no family should have to pay more than 10 percent of their income for child care.  She would achieve this goal through a combination of tax relief and increasing the federal government's investment in child care subsidies.  She has also endorsed investments in early education and supports universal Pre-K.  She wants to double Early Head Start's funding, promote high quality care by paying child care workers and pre-school teachers more, and fund several additional initiatives.

In keeping with her long-standing commitment to providing opportunities to disadvantaged children, Clinton's plan directly funds programs that low-income families would be able to access.  Her concern with child care quality also acknowledges that child care is not just something parents need so they can go to work, but also plays a key role in children's school readiness and social development.  She's betting that higher quality care, especially for low-income families, will pay off.

The big question is whether either candidate can gain enough support for plans that Congress may deem too expensive or progressive.  But let's remember that even Clinton's more generous leave plan and greater attention to accessible, high-quality child care for all would still leave the U.S. at the very bottom of the OECD countries.  Paid leave for mothers in these countries ranges from 12 weeks (Mexico) to over three years (Estonia).  Great Britain offers 39 weeks, Germany 58 weeks.

Neither candidate is proposing we match Estonia, but even if we end up with Mexico's 12-week policy, we'll still be tied for last place. For now, we'll have to wait and see if the next President is able to implement real changes to help families with paid parental leave and child care expenses.

Levine is also author of Ain't No Trust: How Bosses, Boyfriends and Bureaucrats Fail Low-Income Mothers and Why It Matters.

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