We can’t wait another 30 years for a solution that only works for some Americans. It’s time to shape the conversations and decisions that will finally give US citizens access to paid leave to afford the time and cost to take care of themselves, their families, and loved ones.
.gif)
Last year when we announced our vision for the future of leave management, we weren’t just talking about the evolution of our platform. We also included our hope that every working person could afford to take leave when they needed it, because that’s the true solution. With Trump entering the White House and a Republican controlled Senate, our hope for national paid leave policy feels further away than ever. The reality is that 44% of US workers don’t even qualify for unpaid FMLA leave, and only 27% of workers nationwide have access to paid family leave (much less other types of leave). A growing number of states have passed paid leave legislation, but the US remains as one of only seven countries in the world with no national paid leave program for parents or otherwise.
The problem is so dramatic that even US Surgeon General, Vivek H. Murthy, in September issued an Advisory on the mental health and well being of parents, calling for government regulation to “establish a national paid family and medical leave program and ensure all workers have paid sick time,” and for employers to “expand policies and programs that support the well-being of parents and caregivers in the workplace.” We support this vision so everyone can take care of themselves, their families, friends, and community.
After the election results it's easy to feel like we'll be waiting at least another four years before national paid leave becomes a reality. But during the election it was clear that support for families was top of mind for all Americans, and all candidates. Though not a tentpole issue during his campaign, in his prior term, President-Elect Donald Trump signed a defense bill passed by the Senate that expanded paid parental leave for federal employees to 12 weeks. He also doubled the child tax credit amount to $2000–a change he said he would make permanent when in office again. Comments by J.D. Vance in the vice presidential debate in early October also indicated a shift in tone for the Republican party, saying that, “we should have a family care model that makes choice possible.” But it remains to be seen who would have access to which choices. With no meaningful federal action taken since the 1990s’ FMLA, we hope President-Elect Trump will take heed of Surgeon General Murthy’s advisory, and the pleas of millions of Americans.
Being realistic in the meantime, however, we know that political leaders are unlikely to take swift and sweeping action, which is why we’re taking some matters into our own hands to help fund the push for paid leave. Here’s how it works:
Here's how you can get involved:
Where are the donations going? We’ve chosen to split them equally between three leading organizations whose visions of equitable and accessible paid leave for all align closely with ours: Moms First, Chamber of Mothers, and Paid Leave for All.
Though it will take time, dedicated efforts, and funding across the public and private sector, we firmly believe we not only have the power, but the obligation, to make progress toward the future of paid leave that we envision. It’s time to actively guide the conversations and shape the decisions that will lead the US to join the global community in providing its citizens the ability to take care of themselves, their families, and loved ones. Join us in the push to do so.
