This applies for births, adoptions, and the need to care for a sick family member. The insurance to cover this plan is designed to cost workers less than $3 per month—so this plan doesn’t cripple companies with excess costs, as many opponents fear. Many states have introduced paid leave bills that build on the California initiative—including New Jersey, Washington state, Massachusetts, and New York.
So what can you do?
Let your voice be heard. Go to MomsRising.org to read about how you can sign digital (or email) petitions that will be sent your state legislators, asking for a paid family leave bill to be introduced in your state.
It’s shocking to realize that America ranks with developing world countries in its lack of family-friendly policies. The U.S. is the only industrialized country in the world, for instance, that doesn’t provide paid leave to mothers (163 others do). Australia is the only other industrialized country that doesn’t give paid leave, but it actually guarantees a year of unpaid leave—compare that to our meager twelve weeks of unpaid leave provided in our Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). (For more information on the FMLA, see: “Maternity Leave on Your Dime”.)
I don’t know if America will catch up with Europe and the rest of the developing world in my lifetime—as far as family-friendly policies go. But in the meantime, let’s let our voices be heard. If we could fight against Britain’s tea tax, we can certainly stand up for a father’s need to spend time with his family.
