The effect of parental leave on female employment: evidence from state policies

This paper analyzes the effect of federal and state maternity leave policies on female employment. We analyze if the enactment of the federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) differentially affected states that previously implemented maternity leave laws than those states which did not. Additionally, we study whether FMLA caused an increase in the female employment and labor force participation in those states that expanded its benefits and relaxed the eligibility criteria. Finally, we analyze the Paid Family Leave program in California, comparing how the change in female employment and labor force participation differs from those states which have FMLA alone and those which have complemented the benefits of FMLA. Using March CPS data available from the Integrated Public Use Micro data Series (IPUMS), our results suggest, first, a positive and significant effect of FMLA on female employment and, second, a positive and significant effect on the change in female employment for some of the states that expanded the benefits and eligibility criteria of FMLA.Family Medical Leave Act, Temporary Disability Insurance, Female Employment

Three Essays on the Evaluation of Public Policy Programs

This dissertation consists of three chapters, each evaluating a different public policy. The first chapter studies the effect of internet on music sales. Internet usage has increased dramatically over the past few years. Concurrently, the sales from music CDs have witnessed a huge decline. I analyze the effect of downloading music on the current downturn in CD sales by looking at the progressive disappearance of the traditional stores. To identify the causal impact of downloading and control for endogeneity, I instrument state internet penetration rates by information on the adoption of Video Franchise Law (VFL). Results indicates that implementation of VFL increases internet access in states which adopt it, and explains 58.7 percent of total store closings in those states.The second chapter analyzes whether enactment of the federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) differentially affected states that previously implemented maternity leave laws at the state level than those states which did not. Additionally, we study whether FMLA caused an increase in female employment and labor force participation in those states that expanded its benefits and relaxed the eligibility criteria. Finally, we analyze the Paid Family Leave program in California, comparing how the change in female employment differs from those states which have FMLA alone and those which have complemented the benefits of FMLA. Our results confirm the positive and significant effect of FMLA on female employment and also a significantly positive impact on female employment for some states when they complement the benefits and eligibility criteria of FMLA.The third chapter analyses labor market impacts of the implementation of all the state and local governments' EITC supplement. We examine whether the substantial expansions in the EITC program created by these supplements are an effective means of providing work incentives. Exploiting variation in the policy over time both across states and within states between different demographic groups, we find the EITC supplements have raised labor supply among single women, but had no effect on the labor supply of married women. Our results indicate the state and local governments' EITC expansions to be less effective compared to the federal EITC expansions

The Labor Market Effects of State and Local Expansions of the Earned Income Tax Credit

This study analyzes the labor market impact of state and local supplements to the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program. Using Current Population Survey data from 1984 to 2020, I examine the differential impact of the state and local government supplements of the EITC on the labor force participation rates of married women. I examine whether the substantial expansions in the EITC program created by these supplements are an effective means of providing work incentives. In particular, do states and local counties with an EITC supplement witness higher female labor force participation rates? Exploiting variation in the policy over time both across states and within states between different demographic groups, I analyze whether the EITC supplements have raised labor supply among single women, and whether such differences exist in the labor supply of married women

Academic Performance in Online versus Blended Classes in Principles of Economics and Statistics Courses

This study compares the academic performance of students in online principles of microeconomics and business statistics classes with their peers taking the same courses in a blended classroom setting. The data used in this study comes from courses taught by the same instructors utilizing the same course content and student performance assessments. Both the online and blended courses utilized the same learning management system (LMS) and the same publisher provided coursework management system (CMS). After controlling for demographic and pre-college ability factors, the results indicate students in online courses perform better when compared to their blended class counterparts in the business statistics courses

Yoga offers cardiovascular protection in early postmenopausal women

Context: Postmenopause, an estrogen deficient state comes with increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Yoga has been described as having a beneficial effect on heart rate variability (HRV), a marker for cardiac autonomic activity which can assess cardiovascular risk, in various populations. Aim: the aim of the study was to study the effect of 3-month long Yoga practice on HRV in early postmenopausal women. Settings and Design: A prospective longitudinal study of 67 women within 5 years of menopause between 45 and 60 years of age attending menopause clinic of Department of Gynaecology, Sucheta Kriplani Hospital fulfilling inclusion and exclusion criteria and consenting were enrolled for the study. Subjects and Methods: HRV of 37 cases (Yoga group) and 30 controls (non-Yoga group) was recorded pre and 3-month postintervention. Statistical Analysis Used: GraphPad Prism Version 5 software was used. Values are a mean and standard error of mean. Statistical significance was set up at P < 0.05. Results: In HRV, frequency domain analysis showed a significant fall in low frequency (LF) in normalized units (nu) and LF: high frequency (HF) ratio and significant rise in HF in nu in the Yoga group (depicting parasympathetic dominance) against a significant rise in LF (nu) and LF: HF ratio and significant fall in HF (nu) in non-Yoga group (indicating sympathetic dominance). Time domain analysis showed a significant decrease in Standard Deviation of NN intervals in Non-Yoga group against nonsignificant changes in Yoga group indicating deterioration in parasympathetic activity in non-Yoga group. Conclusions: Three-month long Yoga practice improved HRV in early postmenopausal women significantly and has the potential to attenuate the CVD risk in postmenopausal women

A study of changes in inflammatory markers in patients of depression

Background: Depression may result in unfavorable health outcomes as it has been associated with cardiovascular morbidity. Recent researches have suggested the role of inflammation in the pathophysiology of depression and co-morbidities associated with it although the underlying mechanism relating the two is still unclear. Aim: The present study aimed to explore the association between depression and inflammatory markers including interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and high sensitive c-reactive protein (hsCRP). Materials and Methods: Thirty drug-naοve patients of depression diagnosed on the basis of ICD-10 criteria, in the age group of 20-45 years were included in the study. They were compared with 30 age, gender, body mass index, socio-economic and educational status matched apparently healthy controls. The blood samples were taken after an overnight fast and serum samples were immediately stored until the time of analysis. Results: The serum levels of hsCRP were significantly higher (P = 0.042) in depression group as compared to the control group. Although the mean serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were higher in patients of depression, they were not statistically significant (IL-6: P = 0.055, TNF-α: P = 0.053). Conclusion: It can be inferred from our study that depression is associated with underlying low-grade inflammation, which might contribute to increased morbidity in patients of depression