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Dear Colleagues,
Today marks the 28th anniversary of the passage of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) in Congress in 1993. This pivotal legislation transformed the workplace and provided workers 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave and enabled them to maintain health insurance benefits.
Nearly 30 years later, as the country continues to reel from a devastating pandemic and economic crisis, the need for paid leave for all has never been clearer. It’s time to take the next step and guarantee all workers have access to paid leave. Today, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) reintroduced the Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act that would provide millions of workers with paid family and medical leave and the ability to care for their families without missing a paycheck.
The lack of a national paid leave program further exacerbates economic inequality and racial injustice for working families. For these reasons, CLASP is committed to making paid leave a reality for all workers.
Below is a roundup of new CLASP resources to mark the reintroduction of the FAMILY Act and the 28th anniversary of FMLA. They underscore the need for paid leave, particularly for workers earning low wages and workers of color.
- FAMILY Act. CLASP released this statement on the reintroduction of the FAMILY Act. We also updated our fact sheet, FAMILY Act Supports Low-Wage Workers and Their Families, which describes the legislation and why it’s so critical for workers earning low wages. And, in a new blog, CLASP’s Development Director, Akosua Meyers, shares her story of why paid leave is needed now more than ever.
- FMLA Anniversary. In our new fact sheet, we analyze data from the most recent survey on workers’ and worksites’ experiences with FMLA. The fact sheet highlights some of the disparities for the workers who most desperately need leave—strengthening our case that workers need a comprehensive paid leave policy
The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent recession have stressed the need for lasting paid leave policies, especially for caretakers, essential workers, and working families.
Nearly two years ago, Pronita Gupta, then director of CLASP’s Job Quality team, testified before Congress on the critical importance of paid family and medical leave as an anti-poverty policy. As a country, we can’t delay any longer. It’s time for paid leave for all.
Sincerely,
Job Quality Team
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