On April 21st, A Better Balance submitted testimony for the House Committee on Ways and Means Hearing on “In Their Own Words: Paid Leave, Child Care, and an Economy that Failed Women.” In calling for immediate action to address the care crisis for working women with supportive policies like paid family and medical leave, we uplifted stories from our free and confidential legal helpline that demonstrate the real world consequences workers and their families face every day due to our inadequate care infrastructure in this country.
One such story was that of Alexzandria, a studio manager and massage therapist from Michigan whose story was read into the record by Representative Dan Kildee. After announcing her plans to start a family to her employer and becoming pregnant, Alexzandria was left without guaranteed access to unpaid medical leave or reasonable accommodations during her pregnancy and following childbirth, which has been a source of great concern and uncertainty for her at a time when financial stability is most important for her and other working moms. As we said in our testimony: “Workers like Alexzandria needed paid leave before the pandemic. They needed it yesterday, they need it today, and they will need it tomorrow.”
We applaud Chairman Richard Neal, the members, and the Committee for this hearing shining a spotlight on this critical need and for their continued leadership in fighting for working families.
Join us in urging Congress to enact paid leave for all workers and families immediately by writing your legislators.
