Tell Congress to pass Paid Family and Medical Leave for working families
[ [link removed] ]Take Action Now
[ [link removed] ]TAKE ACTION

Dear friend,

This past week, advocates, working families, and Congressional champions
stood together to introduce the Family and Medical Insurance Leave
(FAMILY) Act! With a total of 190 House cosponsors, 38 Senate cosponsors,
and more than 200 endorsing organizations, it was a great reminder of the
power of partnership and the urgent need to pass pro-family policies, such
as paid family and medical leave.

Paid leave is a lifeline that many working families need: Parents who are
welcoming a new child into their homes, workers dealing with a serious
health condition, including pregnancy and childbirth recovery, those
caring for a loved one with a serious health condition, or people
addressing the effects of sexual assault, stalking, or domestic violence,
as well as families dealing with the military deployment of a spouse,
child or parent.

[ [link removed] ]Tell Congress that passing Paid Family and Medical Leave is a must for
working families.

Over 106 million people do not have paid family leave through their jobs,
and close to 60 percent of workers lack access to paid personal medical
leave through their employer. [1] The United States is one of the
wealthiest developed countries in the world, and yet it still lacks a
national paid leave program. When serious personal or family health needs
arise, many working people face impossible choices between their jobs and
caring for their families.

Working families are already struggling in this economy; they should not
have to choose between financial well-being and the welfare of their loved
ones. One in four moms return to work within two weeks of giving birth
because they lack access to paid family leave, [ [link removed] ] too many parents can’t
hold their child’s hand during chemotherapy, and too many adult children
can’t be there for their aging parents. Paid leave will meet the needs of
families and ensure working people can take the time they need to care for
themselves and care for others in times of need. 

Thirty-two years ago, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was signed
into law, but it was only meant to be the first step. While it provides up
to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave, it covers only 56 percent of
the workforce, [ [link removed] ] leaving many people without coverage. That means
working families continually face challenges in taking care of themselves
and their loved ones. And this disproportionately affects low-wage workers
and people of color; almost 54 percent of Asian and Pacific Islander
workers, 64 percent of Native American workers, 66 percent of Black
workers, and 69 percent of Latinx workers are either not eligible for or
cannot afford to take unpaid FMLA leave. [ [link removed] ] Alongside other paid leave
advocates and champions in Congress, we have kept up the drumbeat and
demand for a national paid leave program. And we won’t stop until paid
family and medical leave is passed!

[2]Tell Congress to help working families by passing pro-family
legislation like the FAMILY Act.

The Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act would provide workers —
including those who are self-employed and/or work part-time — with
much-needed income to address their own serious health issue, including
pregnancy or childbirth; to deal with the serious health issue of a family
member, including chosen family; to care for a new child; to address the
effects of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking; and for certain
military caregiving and leave purposes.

There is an opportunity and a need to pass paid family and medical leave
right now. Workers lose $22.5 billion annually in wages due to not having
paid leave. [ [link removed] ] In this current economy, working families are struggling
to make ends meet, and people are living paycheck to paycheck. Passing the
FAMILY Act, which covers all workers, would be a lifeboat to support
working families.

Thanks for your support, 

--Namatie, Ruth, Donna, and the whole MomsRising.org & MamásConPoder Team

*Please take a moment to take action – and then also to pass along this
action link to other people in your life (and to post the action link on
your social media).
[link removed]

References:
[1] [3]Employee Benefits in the United States, March 2024
[2] [4]The Heart-Shattering Feeling of Going Back to Work After Having a
Baby
[3] [5]Explainer: Paid and Unpaid Leave Policies in the United States
[4] [ [link removed] ]Inequitable access to FMLA continues 
[5] [ [link removed] ]Guaranteeing Comprehensive, Inclusive Paid Family and Medical Leave
and Sick Time


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