Big news! We have about a four week window to pass comprehensive paid family and medical leave right here in Michigan, but it’s not a slam dunk and we need your help right now.

→ Take a moment to add your name to our letter to the Michigan Legislature urging them to pass the Family Leave Optimal Coverage Act (FLOC) now.

What’s happening: State Senator Erika Geiss and State Representative Helena Scott, both champions in the Michigan legislature, have introduced legislation that will help millions of Michiganders. 

Their bill, the Family Leave Optimal Coverage Act (FLOC) would provide up to 15 weeks of paid leave for eligible residents, cover a range of care needs like caring for your own serious health condition, caring for ill, injured, disabled family members and chosen family, welcoming a new child into your family and time for bereavement. 

FLOC would also provide the most underpaid workers up to 90 percent of their usual wages while they’re on leave. 

This is exactly the kind of paid leave law we want, one that will not only help families across Michigan, but also send a clear message to the rest of the country that the time is now to win paid family and medical leave.

The problem? The clock is ticking. We have a very narrow window to get this done and we need all hands on deck.

→ Add your name to our letter to the Michigan Legislature urging them to pass the Family Leave Optimal Coverage Act (FLOC) now.

For me this is personal. I was able to take paid leave when my son was born two years ago and I know it made a huge difference. I had an emergency c-section and struggled with breastfeeding (eventually having to learn how to exclusively pump). If it wasn’t for the paid time off I was able to take to heal, care for my son, and adjust to this new mom-life, I honestly don’t know what I would have done. But I have a lot of friends and neighbors here in Michigan who were not given this opportunity—everyone from a nurse who delivered a month earlier than expected and now is fighting to keep her job while caring for a preemie baby to my friend who had to quit her job in order to balance caring for her young children and her mom who was just diagnosed with dementia. We can and need to do much better in Michigan! 

A recent brief found that a majority of workers in many states lack any access to paid leave and that impacts their financial security and contributions to the economy. And for women and women of color who bear the brunt of caregiving, paid leave is a lifeline and is critical to a family's financial security. Paid leave would go a long way to helping workers mitigate the financial impact of providing care. I could go on and on but you get the gist; paid leave is vital for Michiganders and every worker in Michigan deserves access to paid leave.

This fight isn’t new and neither is the call for paid leave in Michigan. In fact, more than 10 years ago, a state-wide coalition of organizations, advocates and residents, came together to fight on behalf of and for the livelihood of families across Michigan. They aren’t new to this, they’re true to this but they still need your support! 

→ We have a short window to pass paid leave in Michigan. Take a moment to add your name to our letter to the Michigan Legislature urging them to pass the Family Leave Optimal Coverage Act (FLOC) now.

There is a Democratic majority in all three branches of government and they have the chance to pass paid leave and ensure every worker in Michigan has access to paid leave. There’s a window to pass paid leave in Michigan and we need your help before that window closes. With your support, Michigan can get this done and pass the Family Leave Optimal Coverage Act!

References

[1] “Explainer: Paid and Unpaid Leave Policies in the United States”
[2] “For Women and Workers of Color in Every State, Paid Leave Is a Lifeline”