N°25-21: Paid Sick Leave Mandates and Household Portfolio Choice

Using the staggered adoption of paid sick leave (PSL) mandates across US states, we document a 20% increase in the average household stock market participation following the enactment of a PSL policy. The effects are more pronounced among households facing greater health concerns, higher employment risks, and deeper financial vulnerabilities. Several mechanisms can explain our findings. PSL mandates offer households insurance-like protection, increase their income and wealth, and improve households' future outlook. Our findings demonstrate that PSL laws create positive economic externalities by motivating households to invest in risky assets, a key factor toward building wealth.