Family and Medical Leave

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

February 04, 2013

Chamber of Commerce, Wrong Again

May 19, 2011
Family Leave: mother and child

Another Job Killer Lie Exposed

January 21, 2011

Cry Wolf Quotes

Most businesses would tell you that they presently take care of their employees. They don't need government telling them how to do it.

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Gary Chandler, vice president for governmental affairs at the Association of Washington Business. The Associated Press State & Local Wire.

America’s business owners are a resilient bunch, but let there by no doubt, HR 1 will be the demise of some. And as that occurs, the light of freedom will grow dimmer.

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Representative John Boehner (R-OH).
02/03/1993 | Full Details | Law(s): Family Medical Leave Act

When the cost of employment goes up, you lose your job. If you don't have a job, family leave insurance doesn't help you.

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State Senator Cheryl Pflug (R). The Associated Press State & Local Wire.

This is either a late April Fool's Day joke or Massachusetts should be on suicide watch….Here we are, one of only two states to lose population; sixth-highest tax burden; national reputation for high cost of doing business….Yes, along with our winter weather and everything else that discourages job creation here, we would have the 'most generous' mandatory paid leave in the country. Eventually, of course, the new employee tax would increase and be joined by a new tax on employers.

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Barbara Anderson, executive director of Citizens for Limited Taxation, The Providence Journal.

Evidence

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.