[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E324]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT
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HON. DANNY K. DAVIS
of illinois
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 18, 2023
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, this spring, we mark the 30th
anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act, known as FMLA. This
groundbreaking law allows millions of workers to take unpaid leave from
their jobs when necessary, without the fear of losing their jobs or
being forced to choose retaining a job over the needs of themselves or
their families.
Prior to the passage of the FMLA, there were no uniform laws or
guaranteed leave for workers. None. In 1993, with bipartisan support,
Congress passed, and President Bill Clinton signed into law, the Family
and Medical Leave Act.
FMLA has remained crucial for workers all over the United States for
three decades. It has provided workers across the country with 12 weeks
of leave to care for a new child, an ill family member, or their own
health. During this time, one's job is guaranteed. Unfortunately, FMLA
leave is entirely unpaid, only about 56 percent of workers are eligible
for the program due to strict eligibility requirements regarding tenure
and worksite size, it restricts the definition of family to exclude
millions of caregivers, and the stark reality is that many workers
cannot go without income.
As we celebrate 30 years of FMLA, Congress should recognize that paid
family and medical leave is long overdue. The pandemic made crystal
clear that the current patchwork system fails to cover many workers,
especially low-paid workers, and harms our economy by removing millions
of workers from the labor force and hundreds of millions of dollars in
earnings. Limiting leave to those who can afford time off without pay
harms workers of color and lower-wage workers, in particular. For
example, Black workers are 86 percent more likely to be unable to take
leave when they need to care for others or themselves. Indeed, 68
percent of Black women are the sole breadwinners in their households,
making any loss of pay due to illness or caregiving a tremendous
hardship. Families should not face the unethical choice of earning a
paycheck or caring for their loved ones or themselves.
As the lead Democrat of the Ways and Means Committee Subcommittee on
Worker and Family Support, which has jurisdiction over paid leave, I am
proud that House Democrats passed out of the House the first-ever,
universal, comprehensive paid family and medical leave program. Had the
Republicans in the Senate not blocked its final passage, this program
would have provided all U.S. workers with up to 4 weeks of paid leave
to address a serious personal or family health issue, or to care for a
newborn or newly-adopted or fostered child.
Universal paid leave is not a gamble; we have decades of research
from state and international implementation that comprehensive
protections help businesses retain qualified workers and government
support helps level the playing field for small businesses while
supporting workers and strengthening the economy. Fourteen states and
the District of Columbia have passed laws to provide or require paid
leave: Arizona; California, New Jersey; Rhode Island, New York;
District of Columbia; Washington; Massachusetts; Connecticut; Oregon;
Colorado; New Hampshire; Maryland; Virginia; and Delaware.
Research by the Rutgers University Center for Women and Work found
that implementing universal paid family and medical leave would result
in higher post-birth wages for women who take paid leave than for those
that do not. Given that women are more likely to serve as primary
caregiver and, therefore, are more likely to need leave, a federal paid
leave program would strengthen the economic security of women.
Additionally, research by Zero-to-Three found that the well-being of
children would improve dramatically given the availability of parents
to care for children and help obtain needed healthcare. Finally, the
improved economic well-being of families would boost the economy and
business revenue. In fact, paid leave policies creating gender equity
would boost GDP by $2.4 trillion by 2030, and policy allowing
caregiving for older adults $1.7 trillion by 2030.
I am proud to recognize my home state of Illinois is one of three
states (i.e., Illinois, Maine, Nevada) that has enacted mandatory
earned time off, a policy that is a substantial leap forward to
universal paid family and medical leave. The Illinois Paid Leave for
All Workers Act will begin in 2024. It allows workers to accrue one
hour of paid leave for every 40 hours workers, with a limit of 40 hours
per year. Importantly, workers can use this leave for any reason, not
just health care. I also am proud to recognize that ordinances in Cook
County and Chicago proved that these policies benefit both workers and
employers. This flexible time off for shorter life events coupled with
paid family and medical leave for longer periods could substantially
support workers, allowing them to remain in the workforce and advance
their careers over time while still meeting the needs of themselves and
their families.
We must take action to ensure equity for women, workers of color, and
low-income workers through comprehensive, universal, paid family and
medical leave legislation. Although my Republican colleagues have
repeatedly blocked Democratic efforts to enact paid family and medical
leave, I promise to continue to champion comprehensive paid family and
medical leave legislation to give workers the protections they deserve
that will strengthen families, communities, and our country. As we
recognize the 30th anniversary of the Family Medical Leave Act, we must
commit ourselves to moving toward a future in which all workers enjoy
the right to paid leave.
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