At some point, nearly everyone needs time away from work to address their own health condition, care for a loved with with a serious health condition or bond with a new child. Yet the majority of working people in the United States cannot take the time they need without risking their jobs or economic security.
A national paid leave program would allow people to receive a portion of their pay when they need time away from their jobs for family or medical reasons – resulting in significant benefits for their families, businesses and our economy.
FAMILY Act
- The Family And Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act | (En Español) Details on the proposed legislation.
- Frequently Asked Questions on the FAMILY Act What does it do? How would it work? Who would benefit?
- FAMILY Act Coalition Letter to Congress A list of more than 650 groups across the nation that are urging members of Congress to support the bill.
- New Poll and Website Analysis Show Candidates Benefit from Prioritizing Family Friendly Workplace Policies National survey of voters in 2018 shows that an overwhelming majority of voters — including 94 percent of Democrats, 83 percent of Independents and 74 percent of Republicans — support a comprehensive national paid family and medical leave program that covers all people who work, and prefer a model like the FAMILY Act over other harmful alternative approaches.
Key Populations
- Treatment for Drug Use and the Need for Paid Family and Medical Leave Treatment programs and the support of family caregivers aid the recovery of people with substance use disorders — but too many people do not have the supportive workplace policies they need to make ends meet while seeking treatment or providing this care.
- The Child Development Case for a National Paid Family & Medical Leave Insurance Program Enacting public policies that provide parents with paid leave from work to care for their young children is critical to the healthy development of children and families.
- Fathers Need Paid Family and Medical Leave All new parents – mothers and fathers – should be able to take time away from their jobs to care for their families without facing financial hardship or workplace discrimination. A national paid family and medical leave insurance program would provide women and men with much-needed pay when they need time off for family or medical reasons.
- Older Adults and Caregivers Need Paid Leave As our population ages and caregiving needs increase, paid leave programs will be even more critical to helping ensure workers can take care of themselves and their loved ones without risking their economic security.
Business and Economy
- Paid Family and Medical Leave: Good for Business Leading business owners and managers recognize that every worker will at some point need time off to attend to health or family issues.
State Paid Leave Laws
- State Paid Family Leave Insurance Laws Some states already have their own family leave insurance laws.
- Paid Leave Works: Evidence in State Programs Studies of the nation's paid family leave programs demonstrate how well paid leave policies work for workers, families and businesses.
