3 reasons to advocate for paid family leave in the United States

The United States is the only industrialized nation in the world without a federal paid family leave mandate. 

While 13 states and Washington D.C. have some state-funded paid leave, it’s largely up to employers to determine what workers receive.

The state of paid leave in this country has significant disparities because of it. 

While some people have access to generous paid leave policies, the vast majority are left without even a single paid day off for life-changing events like the birth of a child or a family illness. 

Despite the clear benefits of paid leave for both employees and businesses, progress at the national level has been slow, leaving millions of Americans without financial means to take time off in the moments they need it the most.

We spoke to Orli Cotel, a parental leave expert and advocate for family-friendly policies, to unpack why we need paid family leave in the United States and what it’ll take to pass it.

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Here are 3 key takeaways from the conversation:

‍1. Paid family leave is imperative for equity: 90% of low-wage workers lack paid leave. Passing a federal family leave policy will ensure that every worker, regardless of their income level, has the support they need during significant life events. 

‍“There are millions and millions of people who aren't even covered by FMLA to take even one unpaid day off for [critical] life events. Those are the kind of people that we need to fight for.”

2. Paid leave benefits everyone - not just parents: Roughly 80% of American citizens support paid leave, yet only 27% of workers have access to it. Lawmakers need to understand it’s a necessity, not a perk.

“We need to win national paid leave for everyone in this country to be able to be there for their families in the moments that matter. We need to make sure people can be there for their baby's first breaths or their parents' last words.”

3. Private companies can drive public policy: The closest the U.S. has been to passing paid leave is when 350 companies supported the Build Back Better framework. It helps when business leaders are vocal about why paid leave is good for business and the economy.

“Paid leave helps create a whole ecosystem of families that can thrive and it helps employers’ recruitment and retention. So it's really a no brainer when it comes to supporting these policies morally and economically.”

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