“It’s been 32 years since Congress passed the FMLA, guaranteeing about three in five of the country’s working people unpaid, job-protected leave when a new baby or child arrives, a serious medical condition strikes, or to care for a seriously ill family member. That law was designed as a first step in boosting working families, businesses, and our economy, and it’s done that. But in all the years since, Congress has failed the country by not taking the next step and passing a comprehensive paid family and medical leave program. That needs to change.

“A national paid leave program that covers every worker, regardless of the size of their employer or if they are self-employed or work part-time, would boost our economy, allow moms and other caregivers to stay in the workforce, ease our labor shortage, lower costs for businesses, and improve the economic security of families. We need it now. Every day we are without comprehensive federal paid family and medical leave is a day when moms are forced back to their jobs right after giving birth; seriously ill workers can’t take time to recover; children with cancer are without parents to comfort them; seniors with life-threatening illnesses are without loved ones; and businesses incur expenses to replace valued employees they lose. Every day without paid leave is a day when moms, families, businesses and our economy suffer.

“States, cities, and private employers across the nation have implemented paid family and medical leave programs, proving them to be effective, easy to administer, and beneficial to moms, families, working people, businesses, and economies. The United States has long lagged behind the rest of the world in guaranteeing this basic protection. It’s time to catch up. We need Congress to pass a paid family and medical leave program that everyone can access, no matter where they live, who they work for, and how long they have held their job – now.”