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
President Clinton touted his new ‘family leave’ bill, sold as free time off to care for children. It turns out the employers of 50 or more covered by the bill have to pay medical care during the leave. At an average cost of $2,000 for the leave, it is not surprising that a Gallup study for the National Federation of Independent Business, found that half of the businesses said they would be reluctant to hire young women under the law, would try to replace low-skilled jobs with machines, and would trim other benefits.
It's just a bad piece of legislation…This continuous tendency to try to mandate benefit policy creates a bad business environment for Tennessee and the U.S. as a whole…[benefits] should be left up to the employers and employees to determine.
The nanny state continues, churning out one bad piece of legislation after another!....Yes, we should have compassion for people, compassion for our workforce. When my father had a heart attack in November, which went well into December, I had to take time off - but I worked around it ....Not all workplaces can do that. Those that can should look for ways to accommodate employees, if possible. This is a slippery slope we're on in New Jersey. The nanny state legislators want to give away everything, but forcing this kind of legislation on employers is the beginning of the end. It will drive employers right out of New Jersey, increasing the already alarming exodus of manufacturing and other jobs and residents in general.
I hope this is a lesson for the next Republican governor or next Republican president before they sign this kind of bill. Once Democrats control everything they are going to start raising taxes and raising benefits to pay for these screwball ideas….A tax on a job eliminates jobs; this is a tax on a job.
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.
