Yesterday, Congress reached a deal wherein federal civilian employees will get 12 weeks of paid parental leave. Pending a vote by the House, 2.1 million people will have less worry about paying their bills while taking care of new additions to their families. This is a wonderful achievement to be sure. But, there are still millions and millions of families who must go without pay and benefits when taking time to care for themselves and their families.
It is easy for Representatives such as Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) to question whether or not paid leave is necessary when in all likelihood, he has not personally faced the hardship of going without a paycheck. However, every Representative should respond to Mr. Jordan’s query with a resounding yes! Furthermore, contrary to Rep. Keller (R-PA), the 2018 Tax Reform is not benefiting the average constituent who can pay their bills but for whom any significant time period of unpaid leave could be devastating.
The US is one of only 2 countries on the planet without a national policy of paid maternity/paternity leave. The other is Papua New Guinea whose population is roughly a 1/4 of that in the US.
You want to make America great again? Pass the Family Act and provide security to all employees, regardless of their level of income.
