Earlier this week, I again voiced my support for the Family Care Act, my bill which aims to establish a paid family leave insurance fund for most workers in Pennsylvania. I’ve introduced this bill over the last several terms with bipartisan and bicameral support, including from my colleagues Rep. Mihalek in the House and Sen. Robinson in the Senate.
There are nearly 4 million Pennsylvanians – over 60% of our workforce – who currently lack access to paid family and medical leave. This means that the majority of our workers do not have paid leave to welcome a new child, care for a relative after serious surgery, help a loved one during life-threatening illness, or find safety from domestic violence. While the bipartisan, federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) passed a generation ago to provide for qualified time off work, it is often of limited value since FMLA time is not paid time and therefore many Americans can’t use it.
We can do better. New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland have already created state paid leave programs that have not been overly burdensome and have balanced the needs of employers and employees. Another eight states have taken similar approaches to our own bipartisan pending Family Care Act legislation, with some programs in operation for over a decade.
Similar to other already established programs, our bill represents a partnership between business and labor regarding costs. It also allows flexibility to employers who use private insurance that meets or exceed state standards, does not impact collective bargaining agreements, and carves out exceptions for our small businesses. Benefits would be calculated on a graduated scale (using a percentage of a statewide average weekly wage), ensuring the program is accessible to as many workers as possible.
Paid leave has proven to improve productivity, keep businesses competitive, and it is simply the right thing to do for Pennsylvania families.