Give working families better access to healthcare and paid time off

I am a constituent from Bridgewater, and I am writing because my family experienced firsthand the kind of financial strain that weak leave and disability protections create. Last spring, my wife, a public high school French teacher, had to miss several weeks of work because of a herniated disc that ultimately required spinal fusion surgery. Once she exhausted her sick days, she stopped receiving pay, and I had to cover the full cost of our health insurance premium out of pocket for the summer. We did not realize until after we needed it that there was no automatic disability coverage in place to protect her income during recovery. That gap made an already serious medical situation much harder on our family. Your recent disclosure about your absence drew attention because you were able to take the time you needed, receive treatment, and continue receiving your congressional salary during recovery. Your speech on the House floor emphasized asking for help when it is needed. I agree that that is important, and I applaud you for having the courage to deliver that message. I am also glad that you were able to get the paid time off and the treatment you needed. My family, like most working families, does not enjoy that kind of security. Many working people do not have the luxury of asking for help when they need it - not because they do not want to, but because they cannot afford to. When illness or injury hits, many people face lost wages, benefit costs, and the risk of financial instability, especially when sick days run out, like our situation. Your voting record in the past has hurt families like mine. For example, I understand that you voted against New Jersey’s paid sick leave law and against a paid family leave measure while serving in the state legislature. That history makes this question unavoidable: now that you have been through a serious medical leave yourself, will you commit to supporting better leave and disability policies for working families like mine? If not, why not? Specifically, I ask that you support: • Paid medical leave that workers can actually use during serious illness or recovery. • Better disability coverage for educators and other public employees. • Protections that prevent families from losing income and facing full premium costs during medical leave. • Paid sick leave and family leave policies that reflect the reality of how quickly a health crisis can become a financial crisis. This issue is not abstract. In our case, a teacher’s medical recovery became a family financial emergency. Working people should not have less security during illness than public officials do. Please let me know how you plan to redeem your past votes against working families like mine.