Paid Family & Medical Leave

Everyone needs paid time off at some point. Whether it’s recovering from an illness, caring for a new baby, or supporting a sick family member, we shouldn’t have to choose between care and paying bills.

Families deserve paid family and medical leave for all, with fair rules for everyone. Paid leave helps families thrive, supports small businesses, and boosts our economy.

THE PROBLEM

Global Disadvantage

The U.S. is one of the few countries without a paid leave program. This led to severe impacts during the pandemic, with the U.S. suffering over 13.6% of the world’s COVID deaths despite being only 4.26% of the world’s population in 2022.

It’s been five years since the pandemic

And care policies like paid leave were life saving solutions. Many of us struggled to care for loved ones. To keep our promises to be there when our loved ones need us, we need leaders who support a care-centered society for times of crisis or joy.

FMLA Exclusions

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) excludes 44% of workers. Those who qualify only get unpaid leave, which many can’t afford. Workers earning less than $15 an hour are less likely to be covered, affecting people of color and women the most.

Limited Access

Only 1 in 4 private sector workers have paid family leave. Without a national paid leave system, most workers must patch together care solutions, force family members to cope alone, or leave their jobs.

Rushed Returns

Nearly one in four employed mothers return to work within two weeks of giving birth, and one in five retirees leave the workforce early to care for a sick family member.

THE SOLUTION

We need an equitable paid family and medical leave program with the right policies for all. Leaders must prioritize families by raising payroll taxes to create a social insurance model for paid leave. An inclusive and equitable paid leave program should have:

Job Protection

Guarantee that jobs are secure when people return to work.

Comprehensive Coverage

Include medical, family, bonding, military deployment, and domestic violence-related needs.

Affordable Wage Replacement

Offer a progressive wage replacement up to 90-100% for low-wage workers.

Adequate Leave Duration

Provide enough weeks for recovery and care.

Inclusive Family Definition

Allow people to define their own family for care purposes.

Currently, 13 states and the District of Columbia have passed paid family and medical leave laws. These models promote equity, include all stakeholders, sustain funding, and foster broad societal investment. However, we need full national coverage to protect workers and their families during illness, care needs, new births, military deployments, or domestic violence situations.

KEY DATA POINTS

Support for paid leave is at an all-time high, across party lines and demographics: