The purpose of this study is to critically examine family leave policies across universities in the United States to determine whether and to what degree they rely on traditional notions of motherhood and family. Conversations surrounding the lack of equitable and adequate family leave should be continued by researchers, advocates, and policymakers, but the inclusivity of current family leave policies warrants critical attention. The reliance on reproduction to define motherhood excludes individuals who cannot or choose not to give birth. This reliance also attaches mothering behaviors and norms to feminine bodies which works to reify gender inequalities. This project utilizes a mixed methods approach. Using a qualitative content analysis of family leave policies from different universities, I examine if and how they rely on aspects of physical birth, heteronormativity, and gendered language. I compare family leave policies across states that are (and are not) considered LGBTQ+ friendly. Secondly, I used a binary logistic regression analysis to test institutional isomorphism, specifically examining to what extent coercive and mimetic pressures affect family leave policy inclusiveness. I found that most policies are gender neutral and do not rely heavily on reproduction, but the implications of those that are highly gendered and rely on reproduction are enlightening. I found that only 8% of policies included LGBTQ+ specific protections. The regression model revealed that isomorphism is not the greatest predictor of policy inclusiveness, and that universities in less progressive states are more likely to have inclusive policies / Master of Science / The purpose of this research is to examine to what degree university family leave policies rely on traditional gender norms, biological reproduction, and heteronormativity, thus determining how inclusive family leave policies are of adoptive and LGBTQ+ families. Notions of traditional gender norms, biological reproduction, and heteronormativity can potentially exclude adoptive and LGBTQ+ families, as well as gender-nonconforming individuals. I compared universities in both progressive and conservative states to determine if state politics have any effect on family leave policy inclusiveness. I used a content analysis to examine these policies, where I individually coded each policy for gendered language, notions of biological reproduction, and LGBTQ+ protections. I also ran a statistical analysis to determine what variables have an effect on overall policy leave inclusiveness. I found that most policies are gender neutral and do not rely heavily on reproduction, but the implications of those that are highly gendered and rely on reproduction are enlightening. I found that only 8% of policies included LGBTQ+ specific protections. The statistical analysis revealed that state politics (i.e., informal pressures) are not the best indicator of policy inclusiveness, as universities in less progressive states are more likely to have inclusive policies.

A cross-sectional survey was undertaken to examine the impact of organizational support on work-family conflict experienced by Taiwanese working women. A stress model of work and family interference was applied in the Taiwanese context; the current study examined whether the results of western studies of work-family conflict can be generalised to the Taiwanese population. The enactment of the Gender Equality of Employment Law in Taiwan in 2002 was a further impetus for the research. The study examined the effects of organizational family-friendly policies and cultural support of family responsibilities on work-family conflict and well-being. Women (aged between 15 and 64 years) in paid employment working in three public universities in northern Taiwan formed the sample population for this research. Stratified random sampling by occupation was used to enhance representativeness. The total sample consisted of 441 participants, made up of 288 general staff and 153 academic staff. The data was collected with several tested and widely used instruments (including the Family-Friendly Policies Usage and Satisfaction Questionnaires, Work-Family Culture Questionnaire, Work-Family Conflict Scale, Job Satisfaction Questionnaire, Family Satisfaction Questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale, and Physical Symptoms Inventory). Descriptive analysis was used to examine demographic variables and all the measures; correlation analysis was used to examine the relationships between selected research variables; T-test, chi-square test and one-way ANOVA were used to characterize the differences between groups. Hierarchical multiple regression was performed to test the research hypotheses. The findings showed that work-family conflict was strongly linked with lower job and family satisfaction, greater stress and more severe physical ailments. Implementing family-friendly policies and creating a supportive work environment can help working women to manage their work-family conflict and improve their health outcomes. A supportive organizational culture has been confirmed by this research as important in preventing the negative consequences of work-family conflict. However, such conflict did not predict the levels of physical symptoms. Employer-supported dependant care policies were not associated with the level of work-family conflict. In addition, organizational cultural support did not predict the usage of family-friendly policies. This study has provided evidence that some relationships could be generalised, across western and Chinese societies, between organizational support and work-family conflict, and between work-family conflict and an individual's well-being, although specificities within each cultural remain and require different methods of assessment. In conclusion, a western theoretical model of work-family conflict was found to be acceptable and feasible to implement within the Taiwanese population, since the majority of the hypotheses were supported. This research provided valuable information for healthcare professionals, policy makers and organizations, presenting ways to help working women to manage the conflicting demands of work and family roles better.