FAMILY Act would provide 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave to workers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – September 16, 2025 – Today, leaders from the National Partnership for Women & Families (NPWF) joined Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand as they introduced the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act, also known as the FAMILY Act, on Capitol Hill.

The FAMILY Act would guarantee up to 12 weeks of paid time off for workers who need to take time off to tend to caregiving responsibilities, or to to take care of themselves, without worry of missing a paycheck. The time off could be used for any of the following reasons:

• To care for oneself or a family member when facing a serious health condition.
• After welcoming a newborn, adopted or foster child.
• To address needs in the aftermath of domestic or sexual violence.
• To address needs related to a family member’s military deployment.

To coincide with the introduction, NPWF is releasing the first-ever open letter of support for the FAMILY Act from leading national companies. The letter was signed by over 20 businesses that understand the importance of a national paid family and medical leave standard and urge the passage of the FAMILY Act to “build support for working families, strengthen our businesses, and create a more secure future for everyone.”

“Rep. DeLauro and Sen. Gillibrand have been tireless partners in the fight for paid family and medical leave since they first introduced the FAMILY Act more than a decade ago. We are grateful for their support of this important and necessary legislation, especially in the wake of a Republican-passed budget that will eviscerate critical programs like Medicaid and SNAP in order to give tax handouts to the wealthy,” said Jocelyn Frye, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families. “At a time when so many women are struggling to navigate their work and family responsibilities and the Trump Administration’s policies are exacerbating longstanding workplace inequities, our leaders must stand up for the basic rights of the families they swore to represent and protect. It is disgraceful that the United States remains one of the handful of nations on earth that lacks a national paid leave policy, and we will continue to fight until every American has access to paid family and medical leave.”

Ahead of the bill introduction, NPWF has made available its updated resources on the FAMILY Act:

• FAMILY Act Overview with Section-by-Section Summary
• The Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act
• Key Facts: Paid Family and Medical Leave
• Paid Family and Medical Leave Is Good for Business

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