Paid Family Leave Back on the Table in Washington

TODAY

ICYMI: Paid Family Leave Is Back on the Table in Washington

In case you missed it, House Democrats added paid family leave back into the social infrastructure spending bill. Opposition from moderate Senate Democrats had put paid family leave on the chopping block, but the new proposal puts four weeks of paid leave in play. (Legislators originally called for 12 weeks.)

What's in the Proposal?

While the length of leave would be mediocre by global standards, the proposal would put the United States at the forefront of defining qualifications for paid leave. The White House has stated that workers could use paid leave after the birth of a new child, to care for a sick relative, for bereavement, and to heal from incidents of domestic violence and rape, among other reasons.

How the United States Stacks Up

Currently, the United States is the only one of 38 OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) member countries that does not require paid leave for new mothers, and is one of only two countries that does not require paid medical leave. The World Policy Center reports that the U.S. is one of 11 countries that do not require any paid sick leave (181 do), and among 41 nations, the U.S. ranked last in paid leave for new parents at zero weeks, according to the Pew Research Center. Estonia, the top country on the list, requires 86 weeks, or more than 1 ½ years.

What Are the Benefits of Paid Family Leave?

Research from the Democrat's Joint Economic Committee found that "universal paid family and medical leave will generate economy-wide benefits and spur economic growth." The lack of paid leave "drives workers–particularly women–out of the labor force," said Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) of the House Ways and Means Committee. The report says paid leave increases the likelihood new mothers will return to work, increasing employee retention, while other reports the committee cited showed paid leave increased worker productivity and boosted small businesses who previously were unable to compete with the family leave benefits provided by larger companies.

Will Paid Family Leave Pass?

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has previously opposed paid family leave as part of Biden's spending package, making the legislation unlikely to clear the Senate without his support, due to thin margins in the upper chamber. It's unclear if adding in the shortened leave will pressure him into backing the larger $1.5 trillion spending bill. The spending package is expected to clear the House with just Democratic votes.

- Kristin

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