A recent report from the Center for American Progress about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) — released on the law’s 20th anniversary in February, 2013 — is a must read because it reminds us that when this law was passed in 1993 it was just a first step towards what was needed then — and now: paid family leave for every working American. Not unpaid leave available to — but not financially possible for — just 60% of working Americans. From the report:
While this legislation was a huge step forward in recognizing the changing nature of American families, as well as the importance of job protection in workers’ lives, only about 60 percent of the workforce qualifies for FMLA leave. Moreover, because the leave is unpaid, many Americans who are eligible simply cannot afford to take it. Indeed, nearly half of workers who qualify for this leave but do not take it say they are unable to for financial reasons, and two-thirds of those who do take leave report experiencing financial difficulties as a result.
Why should women—or men, for that matter—have to choose between being productive members of our country’s workforce and taking care of their own health or the health of their loved ones? We must remember that it is in our entire nation’s best interest to make sure that our workers are able to do both and are not forced to make a false choice between taking unpaid leave or not being able to care for themselves or their families.
Read the full report from the Center for American Progress here.
If you have an experience with family leave in Oregon, we’d love to hear it! Just click here to enter it online or give us a call. Oregonians’ personal experiences are key to helping policy makers understand the problem, so they can get behind a solution.