![]() Women disproportionately bear the economic cost of taking children or elderly family members to the doctor. Today, only 60% of working women have some access to paid sick days and nearly 40% of mothers say they are solely responsible for staying home from work with sick children, compared with only 3% of fathers. For those who work in public-facing industries, such as food service, that endangers public health. Without access to paid sick days, workers are forced to make difficult decisions when they fall ill: jeopardize their employment and forgo a paycheck, or go to work sick. Low-paid workers are especially hard hit, with only 33% of the lowest-paid workers having access to paid sick days. ![]() In addition to lacking federal paid family and medical leave, more than 26 million private-sector workers-nearly one-quarter of the workforce-cannot earn paid sick days. In California, for example, workers in low-wage, high-turnover industries are much more likely to return to their jobs after using the state’s family leave insurance program. A comprehensive review found that the cost of turnover can range from 16-200% of an employee’s annual compensation, making such unnecessary turnover very costly for employers. Paid leave helps businesses by improving employee retention and reducing the high costs of turnover, such as advertising, interviewing, and training new hires. Further, it allows ill or injured workers time to recover and enables people to help their loved ones to recover from illness and avoid complications, thereby reducing hospital readmissions and health care costs. Paid leave contributes to improved newborn and child health by allowing both parents the time they need to help with health care decisions and responsibilities. Even when covered under FMLA, many workers cannot afford to take unpaid leave without endangering their economic security.Ī federal paid leave program would build stronger families and healthier workers. FMLA fails to cover about 40% of workers, including those at companies with fewer than 50 employees, those who have been with their employer for less than a year, and those who have not met the required number of annual hours. While the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993, which provides job-protected, unpaid leave, was an important first step, its promise remains out of reach for many. Without access to paid leave, workers, especially women and mothers, face the continuing economic disadvantage of lost wages and are forced to prematurely return to work. Among the lowest-wage workers, many of whom cannot afford to lose income by taking time off work, only 7% have access to paid family leave. Unfortunately, only 23% of those working for employers with more than 500 employees have access to paid family leave through their employer and only 9% of those working for employers with under 100 employees do. Providing voter education resources on key equity issues to consider during elections and offering information on how elected officials have voted in the past (more about this and Get Out the Vote guides at the AAUW Action Fund).Īt some point, most workers will need time away from work to deal with a serious personal or family illness or to care for a new child. ![]() Engaging directly with elected leaders and the public through calls, letters to political offices, and comments and testimony in hearings.Mobilizing AAUW advocates and members through targeted calls to action on important legislation, like the FAMILY Act and Healthy Families Act.Working in coalition with other gender equity organizations, including the National Work and Family Coalition and Paid Leave Legislative Working Group.The public policy team engages in many efforts on this key issue, including but not limited to: The 2021-2023 Public Policy Priorities call for the availability of and access to quality paid family, medical and sick leave. Together, through our coordinated and strategic advocacy, we’ve enacted invaluable legislation at the federal, state and local levels. AAUW is a nonpartisan organization-but nonpartisan does not mean “non-political.” Since its first meeting in 1881, AAUW has been a catalyst for change. For the millions of Americans without paid sick days, a decision to stay home to care for a sick child or family member could jeopardize their job or family income.Īll public policy actions take direction from the AAUW Public Policy Priorities, voted on by members every two years. Without these policies, balancing the responsibilities of work and family can be difficult for employees-negatively impacting productivity, making recovery from major illnesses or injuries difficult, and in some cases inhibiting the healthy development of children. ![]() Unlike the majority of developed countries worldwide, the United States does not guarantee paid annual leave, paid time off for illness or family care, or paid parental leave.
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