[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 134 (Friday, July 30, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E865-E866]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING FAMILY-FRIENDLY WORKPLACES ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GRACE MENG

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 30, 2021

  Ms. MENG. Madam Speaker, as our nation strives to build back better, 
we must make sure that women--especially moms--are not left out of any 
recovery efforts. Since the pandemic, two million women--including one 
million moms--left the workforce.
  We know that women--especially women of color--always fought an 
uphill battle against gender norms and racial and gender pay equity--
and like so many other issues, the pandemic only exacerbated these 
existing injustices and inequalities. The pandemic also laid

[[Page E866]]

bare that the status quo is no longer acceptable; we need 
transformational structural changes to ensure women are protected 
against any future economic calamities.
  After all, women's economic security and their families' financial 
stability are inextricably linked. That is why I introduced this week, 
the Honoring Family-Friendly Workplaces Act--to promote a healthier 
work-life balance for hardworking families across the country, We must 
do more to promote positive work environments so that working parents 
are able to return to the labor force as soon as possible.
  My bill would direct the Department of Labor to establish a national 
certification program that recognizes exemplary family-friendly 
business policies. It would recognize and incentivize employers who 
commit to helping employees balance their family obligations and work 
responsibilities.
  The certification program is intended to be similar to the EPA's 
ENERGY STAR program that helps consumers identify energy efficient 
products, and would evaluate businesses on a number of policies, 
including:
  Paid sick days for workers;
  Child care subsidies;
  Lactation support;
  Reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers;
  Assistance paying for or referring workers to fertility adoption 
services;
  Paid family leave of at least 12 weeks per year; and
  Flexible hours--or remote work policies--once parents return to work 
after a birth, adoption, or foster care placement.
  Madam Speaker, nobody should have to choose between their work or 
their family; nobody should have to choose between receiving a paycheck 
or caring for their family.
  By redesigning and investing in the workplace to be family-friendly, 
we are ultimately strengthening the wellbeing of children and families, 
businesses, and the economy. I urge all my colleagues in supporting 
this commonsense initiative to improve the lives of working families 
across America.