Report on the Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act

SUMMARY

The Sex and Law Committee wrote in support of the Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act (S.1810/H.R.3712), federal legislation which would ensure that workers continue to receive some income when they need to take time away from their jobs for family or medical reasons. Family and work patterns have shifted dramatically over the past several decades, according to the committee, as most parents now have both work-for-pay and in-home caretaking responsibilities, creating an urgent need for more robust family leave policies. Without the provision of paid leave, many parents who are entitled to take unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) are unable to do so. The data shows that when paid leave benefits are provided, parents are five times more likely to stay home to care for sick children. The committee urges the U.S. to join most other nations in supporting working families through family leave.