Today at 10am ET, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on the need for a national paid family and medical leave program.
The following is a statement from A Better Balance Co-Founder and Co-President Sherry Leiwant:
“No worker should ever be forced to choose between their health or caregiving needs, and their economic security—but that is the reality for the 106 million individuals who have no access to paid leave. We applaud Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden for conducting today’s hearing emphasizing the benefits of paid family and medical leave for workers and businesses, and the need for federal action to close existing policy gaps.
As we see firsthand through our free work-family legal helpline every day, paid leave provides a lifeline when workers are welcoming a new child, caring for a sick parent, navigating a cancer diagnosis, or dealing with life’s other critical moments. We know from the fourteen states that have already passed comprehensive paid family and medical leave programs of their own that paid leave is good for workers, families, businesses, and local economies. Paid leave promotes gender, racial, and economic justice, as women of color work disproportionately in low-wage jobs where they are more likely to be denied paid family and medical leave and other supportive policies.
Today’s Senate Finance Committee hearing is an important step in showcasing the need for a national paid family and medical leave program. We hope to see Congress take concrete steps towards making paid leave for all a reality by prioritizing the FAMILY Act.”
