At Representative Kathy Castor’s office on Thursday, the Florida Consumer Action Network and the Working Women’s Economic Securities Round table met with the congresswoman's staffers to discuss the Family Leave Act. Though the advocates had a number of things to talk about at the meeting, the main reason for the visit was to thank Castor for co-sponsoring the legislation. Chloe Coney, District Director for Castor's local office, represented Castor during the meeting and wholeheartedly accept the vote of thanks. Attendees included Tim Heberlein, Florida Consumer Action Network’s political director, Lorraine Savage, campaign director of the Hillsborough County Young Democrats and more.
The group of advocates talked about the importance the Act would have on families in today's economy and they concluded the session by reading testimonies of some families that have been directly affected by the proposed Family Leave Act.
The Family Act would provide workers with insurance to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave per year with the exception of a sick family member, maternity or paternity leave or personal illness. Twenty percent of families with kids have stay-at-home moms, and two out of three mothers are the sole or co-breadwinner for their families to date. Although these dramatic changes have occurred, it still appears to be a major challenge for working people to afford the basics and get ahead. The advocates insisted on having the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act put forward to help people be able to support their families.
The major challenge families tend to face is managing both work and family life. When faced with health issues such as illnesses or accidents, families often have to continue to work because they are literally unable to afford missing work due to the lack of paid sick days or family leave. For millions of Americans, taking time off from work due to an illness or family emergencies means sacrificing much needed income and risking losing a job.
To add to the issue at hand, about 40 percent of the workforce is not eligible for family and medical leave under the current law which was passed in 1993. The proposed act insures that workers in all companies, no matter their size, are covered. Younger, part-time, lower-wage and contingent workers would also be eligible for benefits.
On Monday, Savage attended the White House Summit on Working Families in Washington, D.C. Savage was highly surprised to discover that the United States is the only developed country in the world without paid maternity leave.
“I’m inspired by other nations whose representatives have worked together to make policies that help their citizens.” She added, “I don’t think I’m different from most women today when I admit of my worry, I worry that motherhood will negatively impact my career, I worry I won’t be able to find a good work and life balance. and most of all, I worry I won’t be able to afford to provide for my child’s needs."
Not too long ago a large number of families in America had a stable source of income.They were able to sustain themselves, pay bills, support their families and even save for their children’s colleges or for retirement. The advocates remind people that times have changed and policies should change accordingly.
The act is said to be administered through a new Office of Paid and Medical Leave within the Social Security Administration. Payroll contributors would be able to cover both insurance benefits and administrative costs.
