Episode 307: The Cost of Caregiving
Summary
Hosts Abigail Warren and Lisa Hernandez discuss the economic and structural impacts of unpaid care work with Jennifer Greenfield, a professor at the University of Denver. They explore how the lack of universal paid family and medical leave in the US creates health disparities and reduces workplace productivity, contrasting state-level policies like Colorado’s with local efforts in Pennsylvania. The conversation also addresses the soaring costs of childcare and eldercare, driven by labor shortages and private equity investment, arguing that these sectors are public goods requiring strategic …
Topics discussed
Intro: Labor Day, 9 to 5, and the context of care work
Guest introduction and the economic value of paid leave
Professor Greenfield's background and the NICU experience
The economic impact of unpaid caregiving on workers
Defining paid family and medical leave types
Comparing state policies: Colorado, Pennsylvania, and the patchwork
Business objections and the benefits of state-funded pools
Who is excluded: gig, seasonal, and low-wage workers
Childcare costs, worker wages, and private equity
Elder care costs and the life-course squeeze
Optimism for future public investment and policy reform
Closing credits and show information
Listen ad-free on Castria