Working families in Georgia can breathe a sigh of relief, because one critical protection they have relied on since 2017 is now permanent law! The Georgia Family Care Act ensures that workers who receive paid sick days from their employers can use up to 5 of those days to care for a family member who is ill, not just for their own illness.
A Better Balance supported the campaign to pass this law back in 2017, but it initially included a three-year sunset provision. The sunset required lawmakers to extend the law every three years, otherwise it would expire. This put Georgia families in a precarious position, and caused advocates to spend precious time and resources continuing to defend a law that was already working well across the state.
This legislative session, Georgia state lawmakers passed a bill with near-unanimous support that removes the sunset provision and makes the Family Care Act permanent law! A Better Balance was honored to work alongside our partners at 9to5 Georgia and the Georgia Coalition for Paid Leave to support this important victory for working families.
Since 2017, the Family Care Act has provided critical protections for working Georgians with caregiving responsibilities. By ensuring that workers can use their paid sick days to stay home and care for sick loved ones, the law helps families remain financially stable and reduces the spread of illness in the community. The bipartisan vote to make this law permanent reflects growing momentum for increased access to paid leave across the South in order to support the health and economic security of working families.
A Better Balance is committed to continuing to work alongside our Georgia partners to ensure that all families across the state have the time they need to care for themselves and their loved ones without risking their paycheck or savings.
