INSIDE OR OUTSIDE - THE POLITICS OF FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE

The efforts of interest groups to pass family and medical leave polici es are illustrative of a dilemma confronting advocates of policy innov ation. Faced with strong opposition from business lobbies and in many cases reluctant legislatures and veto-wielding executives, proponents of family and medical leave had to balance their desire to pass the po licy they wanted against their desire to pass a policy. This study exa mines the family and medical leave policy process at the federal level and in three illustrative states. The study finds that coalitions of ''insiders'' are more likely To get family and medical leave policies enacted both because they have more political clout and because they a re more likely to propose moderate bills and to be willing to compromi se. However, the policies enacted by the insider coalitions generally cater barely half the population and are unpaid. This lends credibilit y to the arguments of members of ''outsider'' groups that there is a v alue in proposing more wide-ranging policies.