Family and Medical Leave
The United States is the only developed nation that does not provide paid family leave to its citizens. The U.S. doesn’t even mandate paid maternity leave; the only other nations that don’t offer such basic support include Lesotho, Liberia, Papua New Guinea, and Swaziland. After the passage of the Federal Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, the U.S. requires larger employers to offer unpaid family leave to their workers. As of this writing, California and New Jersey are the only two states that offer paid family leave.
Commentary
Chamber of Commerce Was Wrong About Family and Medical Leave Law
Cry Wolf Quotes
[The Democratic Party] don't get that the ability of American businesses to create jobs is directly related to the burden government places on their backs. They don't get that mandating family and medical leave is just one more burden added…. Mandating that business pick up the tab for these benefits allows them to advance their agendas without spending Federal dollars.
Massachusetts cannot escape the new world order. As business across the nation resists being used as a government beast of burden, or run by its unions, it outsources jobs overseas to workers who are grateful to have them. Or hires illegal immigrants. Or begins to develop robots to take the place of entitled, demanding humans. Eventually, American ex-workers will have lots of free time to hang out with their families, though the money to feed, shelter and clothe them may be in short supply.
The signing of this proposal places California in the position of being the first state in the nation to implement a program that pays for workers to take non-work related time off. This will cause California to lose some of its competitive edge, as many businesses will look to other states when relocating or starting up to avoid these types of mandates.
We're opposed to a lot of bills, but this is one of the worst. When you're the only state in the country with paid family leave and they've tried it in 27 other states and it's failed in each and every one, we see it as a competitive disadvantage in attracting or keeping businesses here.
Related Laws and Rules
Evidence
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Leaves That Pay: Employer and Worker Experiences with Paid Family Leave in California
The Center for Economic and Policy Research's recent survery of employers and employees shows that California's paid family leave law has provided a plethora of benefits.
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A Workable Balance: Report to Congress on Family and Medical Leave Policies
A tenth anniversary study of the Family Medical Leave Act's effects.
Backgrounders & Briefs
The Work, Family and Equity Index: How Does the United States Measure Up?
The Project on Global Working Families is a study that measures worldwide social safety nets.
Resources
Institute for Women’s Policy Research is a prominent think tank that is largely focused on American women's issues. This covers everything from pay equity to welfare reform to domestic violence.
MomsRising focuses on "bringing important motherhood and family issues."
The National Partnership for Women and Families leads the national fight for paid sick days and paid family and medical leave.
