The Paid Leave Podcast

The Paid Leave Podcast

Paid Leave is a hot topic in our country right now. The United States is the only industrialized nation in the world without a national paid leave policy, and Connecticut is one of only 13 states and the District of Columbia to have a state program in place. Other cities and states are working to join the paid leave movement. The Paid Leave Podcast examines the state of Connecticut's paid leave program and the impact it has on various groups and diverse communities. Radio veteran Nancy Barrow interviews the people who fought to make paid leave a reality in Connecticut, and those who will ultimately benefit from the program. The states with paid leave include Connecticut, Rhode Island, California, New Jersey, New York, Washington, Massachusetts, Oregon, Maryland, Delaware, Minnesota, Colorado, Vermont, New Hampshire, Illinois, Minnesota and the district of Washington, D.C.

Episodes

April 20, 2026 53 mins

Approximately 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 boys or men experience attempted or sexual assault in the USA. In this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, we are talking about sexual violence and assault because April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. I have two women who work in this space joining me to talk about this. Beth Hamilton, the Executive Director of the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence, the statewide coalition of commu...

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In this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, we speak with the two women who helped to craft the Maternal Health Equity: A Blueprint for Connecticut. We speak with Tiffany Donelson, the President and CEO of the Connecticut Health Foundation, and with Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, the Associate Dean for Health Equity Research and the Director of Equity Research and Innovation Center at Yale. (ERIC)

April it is National Minority Health Mont...

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In this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, we are talking to a doctor who is a social media influencer about her expertise in telehealth. March is Women’s Health Month and International Women's Day is March 8th, and my guest is a leader in women’s health and longevity medicine. Dr Tania Elliott is dual board certified in Internal Medicine and Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Dr. Elliott embraced telemedicine first as a physici...

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In this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, we speak with Kandi Pickard, the CEO of the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS). Down Syndrome Awareness Week is celebrated across the world from March 15 to March 21 every year. The purpose of the week is to create awareness about individuals with Down syndrome and the difficulties they might face in their lives.  About 5,000 babies are born every year in the USA with Down syndrome. Due...

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In this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, we are focusing on women's mental health and well-being, and the challenges pregnancy can have before and after the baby is born. March 8th is International Women’s Day. This Day gives focus to issues like gender equality, reproductive rights and violence and abuse against women.  International Women’s Day serves as a platform to address the mental health issues that disproportionatel...

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In this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, we talk to a paid leave expert. It was back in 2022 that we were able to give employees in Connecticut benefits for CT Paid Leave. It’s been 4 years and we have given benefits totaling more than 1.4 billion dollars to about 170 thousand workers in Connecticut. An expert in all thing’s paid Leave is Vicki Shabo, Senior Fellow for Gender Equity. Paid leave & Care Policy and Strategy at N...

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February 14th is National Donor Day, February 10th is Safer Internet Day, and in March it is National Kidney Awareness Month. 

In this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, Host Nancy Barrow speaks with Ellie Doyle who is a storyteller, content creator, social media influencer, and founder of Reheated Coffee Club, a Connecticut lifestyle brand rooted in motherhood, community, and small-business love. After moving her family from Florid...

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In this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, we talk about the fact that It was 4 years ago, in January of 2022, when CT Paid Leave started giving benefits to eligible CT workers. Since then, we have given over 1.4 billion dollars in benefits to over 182 thousand workers in Connecticut! 

Senior Lecturer in the Honors Program at Loyola University Chicago, Megan Sholar joins Host Nancy Barrow to discuss state programs and the hope for a...

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In this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, Host Nancy Barrow speaks with a doctor with a huge social media following. Her inspirational storytelling has created her as a viral medical social media influencer, with over 150 million views and close to 900 thousand followers just on TikTok. Dr. Erin Nance is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and viral TikTok creator known as @littlemissdiagnosed, where she uses humor and storytelli...

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December 30, 2025 32 mins

The United States is an aging nation, and Connecticut is an aging state. Living with a disease that usually affects the older population like Alzheimer's, is tough for the whole family. Caregivers of those with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia are usually family members who have to learn to navigate from diagnosis through the progression of the disease. CT Paid Leave can help by providing up to 12 weeks of income re...

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December 22, 2025 24 mins

In this episode of the Paid leave Podcast, we discuss the holidays and the challenges that it can bring. The holidays are usually a joyful time of year, time spent with family and loved ones and time to reflect before the New Year. But for some people the holidays can bring on intense sadness if you have had a loss, or maybe you find yourself alone during the holidays. Perhaps you lost a loved one or went through a divorce or you a...

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There are over 17 million people over the age of 50 who are aging alone in our country, without a partner, children, or family involvement in their daily lives. There are at least 250 thousand solo agers in Connecticut. Connecticut Entrepreneur Jill Kovalich, is a solo ager herself, and she founded SoloAgersConnect.com to provide resources and a community for this demographic. Jill highlights the challenges solo agers face, such as...

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In this episode of The Paid leave Podcast, Host Nancy Barrow connects a business and paid family leave. November is National Family Caregivers Month and National Family Health History Day is November 28. Here to talk about the importance of CT Paid Leave for bonding leave, mental health, caregiver leave and how it helps small businesses is Samatha Alzate, a licensed clinical social worker and the Founder of Mindful Transformations ...

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In this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, Connecticut Comptroller Sean Scanlon, talks about his office, caregiving and the sandwich generation, and other family friendly policies in the state. November happens to be National Family Caregiver Month.

Comptroller Scanlon, talked to Host Nancy Barrow about his role in improving state finances. Sean explains his role as the Comptroller, comparing it to a Chief Financial Officer, and det...

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In this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, Host Nancy Barrow speaks to a professional about osteoporosis and bone health. It is International Osteoporosis Day on October 20th, National Health Education Week October 21-25t. In addition, it is International Day of Older Persons on October 1st. Two out of three women with postmenopausal osteoporosis will break a bone in their lifetime.

Joan Doback, is a certified Physician Assistant ce...

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On this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, we are talking about paid family leave policies and how they affect families and communities. Drexel University in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, has done a study called Making the Case for Paid Family Leave.  The study shows the benefits of taking time off for your own serious health condition or that of a loved one as well as taking pregnancy and bonding leave when adding to your family. Her...

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In this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, we are focusing on Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month. Sickle cell disease affects about 100,000 people in the United States; more than 90% are non-Hispanic Black or African American. Many people with Sickle Cell Disease do not receive the recommended healthcare screenings and treatments mainly because of social barriers. 

Host Nancy Barrow speaks wi...

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It this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, we take a look at Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15th through October 15th. During this month it is a celebration of the culture and diversity of the Hispanic population, but it also focuses on mental health and the challenges that Hispanics face. 

Evelyn Alejandro joins Host Nancy Barrow to talk about Hispanic Heritage Month, and her parents struggles with mental health...

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In this episode of The Paid leave Podcast, Host Nancy Barrow talks to a new author about her crusade for women's rights and health and her process of writing the new book. August is National Wellness Month, that connects to the conversation with Lauren Tetenbaum, who is a licensed clinical social worker, (in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Florida) she is a women rights advocate, and writer dedicated to supporting and e...

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It is National Farmers Market Week August 3 through the 9th, and it is Farmworker Appreciation Day on August 6th.  

In this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, Host Nancy Barrow focuses on Connecticut farmers with Ella Kennen, the Coordinator of the New Connecticut Farmer Alliance. We discussed supporting beginning farmers, particularly first-generation farmers. Caitlin Kimball, the Director of Agriculture at CitySeed, and oversees t...

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