2025’s Best & Worst States for Working Moms – WalletHub Study

Expert Commentary - republished by permission. 
What can companies do to help working parents balance their home and work life?

“Options to work remotely (at least on occasion). If companies have team-building gatherings or social events, hold them during work hours instead of after work or on the weekends. Paid sick leave that they can use for caring for a sick child. Options to bring children to work in case of school closures due to weather, or on-site childcare.”
Patty Kuo, Ph.D. – Director, Nebraska Strong Families Lab; Coordinator, Human Development & Family Science; Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

“The home-work imbalance often occurs when mothers become the ‘default’ caregiver due to companies’ unequal paid leave policies in both length and compensation. Providing partners/fathers with paid parental leave is crucial, as it enables them to participate fully in childcare while allowing mothers to return to work. Companies should acknowledge that care responsibilities belong equally to both working parents. Senior male leaders can demonstrate this commitment by visibly taking parental leave themselves, which prioritizes family responsibilities, and encouraging their male team members to do the same. Flexible arrangements for working parents with young children are also essential – whether working from home or taking time for a child’s doctor appointment – and companies should actively encourage fathers to utilize these options.”
Dr. Grace Huang – Professor, St. Lawrence University

What steps should policymakers take to support working mothers’ labor force participation and address disparities between men and women in the labor market?

“Pass policies that ensure paid sick leave and parental leave. Pass tax credit policies for families who pay for childcare. Encourage growth and retention in the early childhood childcare sector such that families can access childcare.”
Patty Kuo, Ph.D. – Director, Nebraska Strong Families Lab; Coordinator, Human Development & Family Science; Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

“One key area that policymakers should address is the disparity in care work between men and women. With few exceptions, mothers still carry the lion’s share of the mental load of care and are the ones actively making the work-family balance function… Policymakers should prioritize encouraging men to assume caregiving responsibilities from the start – not as ’helper’ or ‘babysitter’ but as a full-fledged, self-sufficient caregiver. This might require stipulating that companies structure their parental leaves sequentially rather than concurrently to give fathers firsthand experience with all that caregiving involves. This approach would also necessitate not only employers giving equal paid leave for all parents but also mothers being willing to step back to allow fathers to provide full-time care during their paternal leave. At the federal level, policymakers should consider expanding social security taxes to fund paid parental leave across businesses of all sizes, including small and medium-sized businesses and employers of hourly wage workers, which are currently not even covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act. Individual states with expensive daycares and shortened school days could work to reverse these trends. The costs of such improvements on both the federal and state level could potentially be offset by mothers who could continue working full time instead of switching to part time or leaving the workforce entirely.”
Dr. Grace Huang – Professor, St. Lawrence University

What are some key drivers to attract, retain and support working parents?

“Flexibility. This can mean location and hours (such as options to work 30 instead of 40 hours with commensurate compensation). Access to childcare. Wages and benefits that exceed the cost of childcare.”
Patty Kuo, Ph.D. – Director, Nebraska Strong Families Lab; Coordinator, Human Development & Family Science; Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

“A key driver is the culture of the workplace. Adding flexibility should not cause tension between employees with children and those without. There should be transparency about how this flexibility works (e.g., the parent works in the evenings to make up the hours) and how it supports the overall mission of the company. Also, there should be understanding that this flexibility is needed for only a limited time. Parental employees who are treated well will in turn help foster a supportive atmosphere for those coming into the company.”
Dr. Grace Huang – Professor, St. Lawrence University

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