biostudies-literatureWolf DANIA NIH HHSNational Institute on AgingRobert Wood Johnson Foundation681-688https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10164355biostudies-literatureUnknown63(5)<h4>Introduction</h4>The goal of this study was to estimate how state preemption laws that prohibit local authority to raise the minimum wage or mandate paid sick leave have contributed to working-age mortality from suicide, homicide, drug overdose, alcohol poisoning, and transport accidents.<h4>Methods</h4>County-by-quarter death counts by cause and sex for 1999-2019 were regressed on minimum wage levels and hours of paid sick-leave requirements, controlling for time-varying covariates and place- and time-specific fixed effects. The model coefficients were then used to predict expected reductions in mortality if the preemption laws were repealed. Analyses were conducted during January 2022-April 2022.<h4>Results</h4>Paid sick-leave requirements were associated with lower mortality. These associations were statistically significant for suicide and homicide deaths among men and for homicide and alcohol-related deaths among women. Mortality may decline by more than 5% in large central metropolitan counties currently constrained by preemption laws if they were able to mandate a 40-hour annual paid sick-leave requirement.<h4>Conclusions</h4>State legislatures' preemption of local authority to enact health-promoting legislation may be contributing to the worrisome trends in external causes of death.American journal of preventive medicineU.S. State Preemption Laws and Working-Age Mortality.PMC10164355P30AG66583P30 AG066583R24 AG065159R24 AG04506176103Wolf DAMonnat SMMontez JKfalseU.S. State Preemption Laws and Working-Age Mortality.<h4>Introduction</h4>The goal of this study was to estimate how state preemption laws that prohibit local authority to raise the minimum wage or mandate paid sick leave have contributed to working-age mortality from suicide, homicide, drug overdose, alcohol poisoning, and transport accidents.<h4>Methods</h4>County-by-quarter death counts by cause and sex for 1999-2019 were regressed on minimum wage levels and hours of paid sick-leave requirements, controlling for time-varying covariates and place- and time-specific fixed effects. The model coefficients were then used to predict expected reductions in mortality if the preemption laws were repealed. Analyses were conducted during January 2022-April 2022.<h4>Results</h4>Paid sick-leave requirements were associated with lower mortality. These associations were statistically significant for suicide and homicide deaths among men and for homicide and alcohol-related deaths among women. Mortality may decline by more than 5% in large central metropolitan counties currently constrained by preemption laws if they were able to mandate a 40-hour annual paid sick-leave requirement.<h4>Conclusions</h4>State legislatures' preemption of local authority to enact health-promoting legislation may be contributing to the worrisome trends in external causes of death.2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Nov2026-05-05T02:54:22.711Z2025-04-05T10:55:03.208ZS-EPMC101643553627275910.1016/j.amepre.2022.06.005