1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

I strongly urge you to support comprehensive paid family and medical leave legislation. Research from the National Bureau of Economic Research shows paid leave generates positive economic returns. California's paid leave program evaluation found that 87% of businesses reported no increased costs, with many experiencing cost savings from improved retention (Appelbaum & Milkman, Center for Economic and Policy Research, 2011). Worker retention increased by 10% after paid leave implementation (Bartel et al., Small Business Economics, 2021). In our state, over 60% of children have all parents in the workforce (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023). When these families face medical emergencies or welcome new children without paid leave, they often face impossible choices between their family's health and financial stability. As your constituent with expertise in this area, I ask you to make paid family and medical leave a priority and support legislation establishing a national program. Please let me know your position on this critical issue.