DeLauro Statement on ‘Suggested Compromise’ on Paid Leave from AEI and Brookings
WASHINGTON, DC (June 8, 2017) — Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today released the following statement regarding a new report from the AEI-Brookings Working Group on Paid Family Leave. DeLauro is leading sponsor of the FAMILY Act, which would ensure that workers can take up to 12 weeks of paid leave for a pregnancy, the birth or adoption of a child, to recover from a serious illness, or to care for a seriously ill family member.
"While I appreciate that AEI and Brookings are raising the issue of paid leave and elevating the national conversation, their ‘suggested compromise' is the wrong path forward. AEI and Brookings suggest only 8 weeks of paid parental leave, despite the fact that 75 percent of workers, including seniors, take unpaid family and medical leave for other purposes, such as family and personal illnesses. Further, they suggest partly funding this parental leave program from unknown ‘savings' in the budget—savings that could harm American workers and their families.
"AEI and Brookings have said that a majority of those who worked on this report support a broader plan, like the FAMILY Act. This legislation has more than 130 cosponsors in the House of Representatives and creates a comprehensive and sensible national paid leave policy. The time for paid family and medical leave is long overdue—and I will keep fighting until no American worker has to choose between sacrificing a paycheck and caring for their family during the toughest times."
The FAMILY Act would be paid for through small employer and employee contributions. The average worker would pay just $1.50 per week and the benefits would be completely portable and not tied to any one employer. The legislation is not just beneficial for workers—it works for businesses. In fact, research from the states where paid leave laws have passed shows that implementing the policy has had positive effects on recruitment, retention, productivity and overall performance.
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