NEXT STOP: PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE
Jon Wegienek
In 1993, the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) became law. It gives many (but not all) working Americans the right to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave when a new child arrives, a family health crisis strikes, or when they themselves are ill.
But while FMLA helps to protect jobs and benefits for employees, it doesn't help pay the bills. Independent studies commissioned by the Department of Labor in 1995 and 2000 found the primary reason people who need leave don't take it is they simply can't afford to. The research also found that nearly one in ten FMLA users is forced onto public assistance while on leave.
As more people became aware of a right they couldn't necessarily afford to use, interest in paid family leave grew. Advocates and academics did research and explored policy models, looking at everything from unemployment insurance to Social Security to the commercial insurance market as possible vehicles for providing paid leave.
In 1999, the National Partnership for Women & Families, which led the nine-year fight to pass the FMLA, launched the Campaign for Family Leave Benefits to fuel a growing movement to make family leave more affordable.
In 2000, the New York State Paid Family and Medical Leave Coalition began to work on this issue. A bill was introduced by Senator Nick Spano and Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan to amend New York's Temporary Disability Insurance to pay employees for time off to care for themselves or their families in the event of a serious illness, the birth or adoption of children, school visits and bereavement leave. Several public hearings were held and co-sponsored by state senators and assembly members, with testimony given by many, including Westchester NOW. The coalition also raised funding for a study to determine the cost of paying for paid leave through the extension of temporary disability insurance. The results show that paid leave is definitely affordable!
The time is right to prioritize this very important social need. Westchester NOW plans to continue its participation in the coalition's work. If you represent a small employer or an organization that believes in advocating for paid family leave, or are a member who wants to work on this issue, please contact us at WestNYNOW@aol.com.
Let's make paid family and medical leave a reality for New Yorkers. Join us!
Information for this article was taken in part from: Putting Families First: How California Won the fight for Paid Family Leave, a report by the Labor Project for Working Families, and the Statement of Purpose of the New York State Paid Family and Medical Leave Coalition, 2005.
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