Meredith Slopen
@mslopen.bsky.social
Studying labor policy, women's employment, economic security, and work as a social determinant of health. Zinemaker. Can sometimes be found playing music. www.meredithslopen.org
Pinned
Meredith Slopen
@mslopen.bsky.social
· Jul 7
Check out the free-to-read article in our June issue! Buyi Wang and colleagues examine the benefits and costs of paid parental leave in the U.S.
📖 Read now!
www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...
📖 Read now!
www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...
The Benefits and Costs of Paid Parental Leave in the United States | Social Service Review
Abstract To inform US policy debates about the introduction of a national paid leave program, we conduct a benefit-cost analysis of its introduction. We identify high-quality, quasi-experimental studi...
www.journals.uchicago.edu
Public programs lead to social benefits. In a new paper with colleagues from @povertycenter.bsky.social, we find that every $1000 invested in paid parental leave leads to between $7-29k in long term benefits. The US is leaving significant money on the table. 1/
Tonight!
Attending #SSWR2026 as a social policy researcher (or friend)? Join us for our annual happy hour on Friday night at 6:30 at Calico! Be in touch if you need more info and looking forward to learning from your work throughout the conference!
January 16, 2026 at 5:37 PM
Tonight!
Attending #SSWR2026 as a social policy researcher (or friend)? Join us for our annual happy hour on Friday night at 6:30 at Calico! Be in touch if you need more info and looking forward to learning from your work throughout the conference!
January 13, 2026 at 6:27 PM
Attending #SSWR2026 as a social policy researcher (or friend)? Join us for our annual happy hour on Friday night at 6:30 at Calico! Be in touch if you need more info and looking forward to learning from your work throughout the conference!
This year was not my best for reading - it seemed like there were sometimes months between things I really liked, but definitely some great ones in the mix.
January 1, 2026 at 5:49 PM
This year was not my best for reading - it seemed like there were sometimes months between things I really liked, but definitely some great ones in the mix.
Reposted by Meredith Slopen
Rapid Response Data Briefing: Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS)
Join us to learn:
🔵 What's in PRAMS
🔵 Why it's important
🔵 The risks facing its continued collection and publication
🔵 How you can help support this essential data resource
Register: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Join us to learn:
🔵 What's in PRAMS
🔵 Why it's important
🔵 The risks facing its continued collection and publication
🔵 How you can help support this essential data resource
Register: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
December 22, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Rapid Response Data Briefing: Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS)
Join us to learn:
🔵 What's in PRAMS
🔵 Why it's important
🔵 The risks facing its continued collection and publication
🔵 How you can help support this essential data resource
Register: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Join us to learn:
🔵 What's in PRAMS
🔵 Why it's important
🔵 The risks facing its continued collection and publication
🔵 How you can help support this essential data resource
Register: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
This incredible album made me laugh, cry, dance, and feel deeply grateful for my community.
borschtbeat.bandcamp.com/album/strang...
borschtbeat.bandcamp.com/album/strang...
December 19, 2025 at 11:53 AM
This incredible album made me laugh, cry, dance, and feel deeply grateful for my community.
borschtbeat.bandcamp.com/album/strang...
borschtbeat.bandcamp.com/album/strang...
Reposted by Meredith Slopen
Our paper reflecting on 30 years of Medicaid estate recovery is fully out today! We shed light on policy mechanisms, state variation, and its potential to drive wealth disparities. Thank you to @jhppl.bsky.social for being the perfect home for our work on this understudied, but longstanding, policy.
@aspishakthomas.com @emmasandoe.bsky.social & @heatherhhoward.bsky.social examine Medicaid estate recovery. Some states recently initiated policy changes to address problems with Medicaid estate recovery, and the authors evaluate the impact of these policies. read.dukeupress.edu/jhppl/articl...
Lots of Pain for Little Gain: Three Decades of Medicaid Estate Recovery | Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law | Duke University Press
read.dukeupress.edu
December 15, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Our paper reflecting on 30 years of Medicaid estate recovery is fully out today! We shed light on policy mechanisms, state variation, and its potential to drive wealth disparities. Thank you to @jhppl.bsky.social for being the perfect home for our work on this understudied, but longstanding, policy.
Extremely excited to see the Breul Prize awarded to this excellent paper about what comes next after the Fight for $15! Congrats to Kess and everybody involved!
The 2026 Frank R. Breul Memorial Prize has been awarded to Kess Ballentine and colleagues for their article “What Happens When the Fight for $15 and a Union Is Won? Understanding Workers’ Perceptions and Implications for Organizing."
Read for free now!
www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10....
Read for free now!
www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10....
What Happens When the Fight for $15 and a Union Is Won? Understanding Workers’ Perceptions and Implications for Organizing | Social Service Review
Abstract The Fight for $15 launched a resurgence of the US labor movement. Little research has examined the impact of unions established through this movement, particularly in the health-care industry...
www.journals.uchicago.edu
November 18, 2025 at 12:37 AM
Extremely excited to see the Breul Prize awarded to this excellent paper about what comes next after the Fight for $15! Congrats to Kess and everybody involved!
Reposted by Meredith Slopen
Social workers (and friends) attending @appam.bsky.social
in Seattle: we will meet for our annual happy hour on Friday night from 5-7 at Kells' Bar. Be in touch if you need details and share with your students/new colleagues. Looking forward! @arpilarz.bsky.social @calliefreitag.bsky.social
in Seattle: we will meet for our annual happy hour on Friday night from 5-7 at Kells' Bar. Be in touch if you need details and share with your students/new colleagues. Looking forward! @arpilarz.bsky.social @calliefreitag.bsky.social
November 2, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Social workers (and friends) attending @appam.bsky.social
in Seattle: we will meet for our annual happy hour on Friday night from 5-7 at Kells' Bar. Be in touch if you need details and share with your students/new colleagues. Looking forward! @arpilarz.bsky.social @calliefreitag.bsky.social
in Seattle: we will meet for our annual happy hour on Friday night from 5-7 at Kells' Bar. Be in touch if you need details and share with your students/new colleagues. Looking forward! @arpilarz.bsky.social @calliefreitag.bsky.social
Reposted by Meredith Slopen
The world changed last night. Thank you for being part of Zohran Mamdani's historic mayoral victory - now we make it real. Join JFREJ tomorrow (Thurs) at 7:30pm for a mass call with special guests to hear about what's next for our movement and how YOU can take part. RSVP at jfrej.org/mass-call
November 5, 2025 at 5:00 PM
The world changed last night. Thank you for being part of Zohran Mamdani's historic mayoral victory - now we make it real. Join JFREJ tomorrow (Thurs) at 7:30pm for a mass call with special guests to hear about what's next for our movement and how YOU can take part. RSVP at jfrej.org/mass-call
Social workers (and friends) attending @appam.bsky.social
in Seattle: we will meet for our annual happy hour on Friday night from 5-7 at Kells' Bar. Be in touch if you need details and share with your students/new colleagues. Looking forward! @arpilarz.bsky.social @calliefreitag.bsky.social
in Seattle: we will meet for our annual happy hour on Friday night from 5-7 at Kells' Bar. Be in touch if you need details and share with your students/new colleagues. Looking forward! @arpilarz.bsky.social @calliefreitag.bsky.social
November 2, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Social workers (and friends) attending @appam.bsky.social
in Seattle: we will meet for our annual happy hour on Friday night from 5-7 at Kells' Bar. Be in touch if you need details and share with your students/new colleagues. Looking forward! @arpilarz.bsky.social @calliefreitag.bsky.social
in Seattle: we will meet for our annual happy hour on Friday night from 5-7 at Kells' Bar. Be in touch if you need details and share with your students/new colleagues. Looking forward! @arpilarz.bsky.social @calliefreitag.bsky.social
Reposted by Meredith Slopen
Hey NYC. I did a deep dive on the housing ballot measures. Here's my research, in case you're as confused as I was. docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Jen’s “I’m Too Busy To Understand This” Ballot Measure Explainer
Dear friends, Not gonna lie, I wish I lived in less interesting times. I’m finding a lot of hope in Mamdani’s candidacy. When the National Guard is sent to NYC, he’s who I want in the Mayor’s office....
docs.google.com
October 27, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Hey NYC. I did a deep dive on the housing ballot measures. Here's my research, in case you're as confused as I was. docs.google.com/document/d/1...
My kid (12) rides the NYC subway every day, reports "the only thing I'm scared of is if it is running late". These guys need to toughen up.
October 22, 2025 at 11:52 PM
My kid (12) rides the NYC subway every day, reports "the only thing I'm scared of is if it is running late". These guys need to toughen up.
Reposted by Meredith Slopen
We are sick and tired of the appalling, Islamophobic attacks on Zohran for daring to care about the well-being of Palestinians.
It's not antisemitic to call out Israel for indiscriminate bombings, war crimes, and killing thousands upon thousands of civilians.
Enough is enough.
It's not antisemitic to call out Israel for indiscriminate bombings, war crimes, and killing thousands upon thousands of civilians.
Enough is enough.
October 22, 2025 at 11:45 PM
We are sick and tired of the appalling, Islamophobic attacks on Zohran for daring to care about the well-being of Palestinians.
It's not antisemitic to call out Israel for indiscriminate bombings, war crimes, and killing thousands upon thousands of civilians.
Enough is enough.
It's not antisemitic to call out Israel for indiscriminate bombings, war crimes, and killing thousands upon thousands of civilians.
Enough is enough.
Including state as an identifiable variable, and then restricting the data, prevents huge amounts of policy research from happening with very little benefit/trade-off with respect to privacy vs. what we could learn.
Do you have any extremely niche, but serious, ethical stances?
October 20, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Including state as an identifiable variable, and then restricting the data, prevents huge amounts of policy research from happening with very little benefit/trade-off with respect to privacy vs. what we could learn.
The sound you hear is health policy researchers running to their computers to start coding up the diff-in-diff.
15 US states and territories have formed a new Public Health Alliance, which will counter the absence of federal leadership by tracking outbreaks, issuing guidance, buying vaccines and more.
Members of the new alliance include CA, CO, CT, DE, GU, HI, IL, MD, MA, NJ, NY, NC, OR, RI, WA.
Members of the new alliance include CA, CO, CT, DE, GU, HI, IL, MD, MA, NJ, NY, NC, OR, RI, WA.
October 16, 2025 at 1:28 PM
The sound you hear is health policy researchers running to their computers to start coding up the diff-in-diff.
Reposted by Meredith Slopen
A record number of private-sector workers have access to paid sick time in 2025 under state and local laws. But access remains unequal, especially for workers in low-wage jobs and the South. @epi.org: www.epi.org/blog/access-...
Access to paid sick leave continues to grow but remains highly unequal by geography and wage level
In a government shutdown, hundreds of thousands of federal workers are on leave without pay for the duration of the shutdown (and possibly worse, if the threatened layoffs occur). If history is a…
www.epi.org
October 10, 2025 at 3:07 PM
A record number of private-sector workers have access to paid sick time in 2025 under state and local laws. But access remains unequal, especially for workers in low-wage jobs and the South. @epi.org: www.epi.org/blog/access-...
3 states passed paid sick leave laws last November by referenda: voters want this low-cost policy that supports workers to stay home when they're sick. Republican politicians are going against the democratic process by overturning or adding restrictions.
www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
Republicans Aren't Just Gutting Health Care. They're Taking Your Sick Leave, Too
Republican-controlled legislatures have rolled back state level sick leave policies, leaving gaps in access amid the party's attacks on health care.
www.rollingstone.com
October 13, 2025 at 1:36 PM
3 states passed paid sick leave laws last November by referenda: voters want this low-cost policy that supports workers to stay home when they're sick. Republican politicians are going against the democratic process by overturning or adding restrictions.
www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
My 12 year old's homework last night consisted of a set of relationships where they had to identities the independent and dependent variables, which is basically what I'm covering in class these days.
October 8, 2025 at 9:09 AM
My 12 year old's homework last night consisted of a set of relationships where they had to identities the independent and dependent variables, which is basically what I'm covering in class these days.
Reposted by Meredith Slopen
Sharing some encouraging news re: CDC PRAMS. The CDC has indicated they will weight and clean the 2024 PRAMS data. Also, the PRAMS data collection system (PIDS) is up and running again and some sites have begun 2025 PRAMS data collection. Hopefully restoration of the ARF portal is coming soon too.
September 5, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Sharing some encouraging news re: CDC PRAMS. The CDC has indicated they will weight and clean the 2024 PRAMS data. Also, the PRAMS data collection system (PIDS) is up and running again and some sites have begun 2025 PRAMS data collection. Hopefully restoration of the ARF portal is coming soon too.
I'll be sharing these questions during "research in the news" part of class this week to reinforce what we've been discussing about critical reading. Thanks @wiringthebrain.bsky.social.
When reporting on these kinds of claims, the media should ask:
September 7, 2025 at 1:09 PM
I'll be sharing these questions during "research in the news" part of class this week to reinforce what we've been discussing about critical reading. Thanks @wiringthebrain.bsky.social.
Seen a bad or misleading graph or figure in the media recently? I'd love to see it/share with my research methods class as they develop as consumers of research! Manipulative axes, really small sample sizes, misconstrued percent vs. percentile...show me what you've got! Thanks! #academicchatter
September 1, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Seen a bad or misleading graph or figure in the media recently? I'd love to see it/share with my research methods class as they develop as consumers of research! Manipulative axes, really small sample sizes, misconstrued percent vs. percentile...show me what you've got! Thanks! #academicchatter
I remember somebody having a different name for "office hours" that encouraged students to use them by clarifying their purpose. Do you have good language for this to share?
August 7, 2025 at 9:10 PM
I remember somebody having a different name for "office hours" that encouraged students to use them by clarifying their purpose. Do you have good language for this to share?
Reposted by Meredith Slopen
Health care workers who are committed to providing quality, life-affirming care to all patients, and who want to connect with others and strategize around interrupting criminalization in health care settings, connect with our Beyond Do No Harm network.
Check out the guide below to get started.
Check out the guide below to get started.
August 6, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Health care workers who are committed to providing quality, life-affirming care to all patients, and who want to connect with others and strategize around interrupting criminalization in health care settings, connect with our Beyond Do No Harm network.
Check out the guide below to get started.
Check out the guide below to get started.
It's been cool to watch @rcmacleod.bsky.social become a business runner. This great thread is about the challenges starting/running a media companies but relevant across the businesses people in my life have started. Not as easy as the "monetize your hobby" people make it sound!
OK I'll jump into the discourse lol: Starting your own publication might mean starting your own business, especially if there's more than one of you. It's unlikely you decided to do this because you wanted to start a business! Do you know how to run a business? I sure didn't until October 2023!
As more journalists are driven out of their jobs, I keep hearing this drumbeat of "it's ok -- they can start their own newsletter or publication." Some can. But becoming your own business is a huge job, and will eliminate many talented reporters from the public sphere. Here's why. (1/5)
July 11, 2025 at 2:29 PM
It's been cool to watch @rcmacleod.bsky.social become a business runner. This great thread is about the challenges starting/running a media companies but relevant across the businesses people in my life have started. Not as easy as the "monetize your hobby" people make it sound!
Public programs lead to social benefits. In a new paper with colleagues from @povertycenter.bsky.social, we find that every $1000 invested in paid parental leave leads to between $7-29k in long term benefits. The US is leaving significant money on the table. 1/
Check out the free-to-read article in our June issue! Buyi Wang and colleagues examine the benefits and costs of paid parental leave in the U.S.
📖 Read now!
www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...
📖 Read now!
www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...
The Benefits and Costs of Paid Parental Leave in the United States | Social Service Review
Abstract To inform US policy debates about the introduction of a national paid leave program, we conduct a benefit-cost analysis of its introduction. We identify high-quality, quasi-experimental studi...
www.journals.uchicago.edu
July 7, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Public programs lead to social benefits. In a new paper with colleagues from @povertycenter.bsky.social, we find that every $1000 invested in paid parental leave leads to between $7-29k in long term benefits. The US is leaving significant money on the table. 1/