“Women have been expected to take on [caregiving] and handle it without complaint and largely without support,” says Jocelyn Frye, president of the National Partnership. “The Family and Medical Leave Act rejected the premise that it‚Äôs a woman’s lot in life to do that work. Instead, what the FMLA said is that all workers have some sort of care need, and we need to be able to ensure that those folks can take time off and come back to their jobs.”

“The law’s longevity is a point of pride for organizations like the National Partnership for Women & Families, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that played a lead role in drafting the FMLA and advocating for its passage.”

Jocelyn Frye, the president of the National Partnership for Women and Families, says: “The FMLA was a groundbreaking step forward, but our work is not done. We cannot continue to ignore the care needs of workers and their families. Our nation’s leaders need to step up and make the choice to enact policies that enable workers to do their jobs and care for their families without putting their livelihoods at risk.”

“The recent article focusing on priorities for the 2023 legislative session (“Reconsidering priorities,” Jan. 9) missed one critical opportunity: passing paid leave for New Mexico. No one should have to choose between a paycheck and taking care of their family. And research shows paid leave is good for businesses and the economy… “

“According to the National Partnership for Women & Families, “only 25% of United States workers have paid family leave through their employers, and just 41% have access to personal medical leave through employer-provided short-term disability insurance.””

“The National Partnership for Women & Families has a guide that recommends ways employers can better support pregnant employees on the job. For example, extending accommodations to “all workers, regardless of part-time or temporary status,” not forcing workers to accept unnecessary accommodations, providing paid sick leave and family leave, not docking employees for tardy arrival, and eliminating ‘just-in-time’ scheduling, which gives employees very little notice of their shifts.”

“Access to paid leave helps our economy and helps keep people in the jobs they need so they can care for the families they love without jeopardizing their economic security. Yet 26 million workers currently lack access to paid sick days, as reported last month by the National Partnership for Women & Families. That includes 70 percent of the lowest wage workers, including many child care early educators.”

“We have more pro-worker, pro-family, [Democratic] trifecta states now with the latest election,” Sharita Gruberg, vice president of economic justice at the National Partnership for Women and Families, said. “We will continue to see states not wait for the federal government.”