News release
MomsRising.org Hails NJ Legislators for Passing Paid Family Leave Bill
April 7, 2008
Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996
Governor Expected to Sign; Online Activist Group Generated Thousands of Legislative Contacts, Held ‘Power of ONEsie’ Event in Support of Measure
MomsRising.org, the grassroots and on-the-ground online organization for moms (and anyone who has a mom), today hailed New Jersey legislators for passing a strong paid family leave bill, which Governor Jon Corzine has committed to sign. New Jersey MomsRising.org members lobbied, testified before Assembly and Senate committees, and made hundreds of phone calls and sent tens of thousands of letters to legislators.
MomsRising.org also staged a “Power of ONEsie” display in support of the measure, exhibiting hundreds of specially-decorated baby outfits outside the State Capital. Business owners who are members of Momsrising.org signed a letter in support of family leave insurance, which will help small businesses provide this key benefit to their workers. The New Jersey Time to Care Coalition spearheaded the effort to gain passage of the bill.
“This is an exciting day and a huge victory for New Jersey moms, dads, kids and families,” said MomsRising.org Executive Director Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner. “It’s appalling that the birth of a new baby is a leading cause of poverty spells in this country. This new law will help New Jersey families stay out of poverty and give New Jersey children a healthy start. We look forward to Governor Corzine signing it so families can take the leave to care for new children or sick family members.”
The bill expands the New Jersey temporary disability insurance program to give workers up six weeks of paid family leave to care for newborn or newly adopted children, or a sick family member. It also provides workers with temporary disability insurance benefits equaling two-thirds of their wages up to $524 per week. The benefits will be financed by an employee payroll deduction.
When Governor Corzine signs the bill, as promised, New Jersey will become the third state to adopt paid family leave. Washington State passed a family leave insurance bill last spring and California passed a paid leave bill in 2002. According to a recent report by Dr. Jody Heymann of Harvard and McGill Universities, the United States is one of just four countries (of 173 studied) that does not guarantee paid maternity leave – the others are Liberia, Papua New Guinea and Swaziland.