We Were Right!! Family Leave Act Covers Too Few

I love that there are people who crunch enough numbers to support what we mamas already know, the anecdotal evidence that we discuss on urbanMamas and just about everywhere else. As we know, the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) doesn't work for so many mamas because so many new parents work for firms with fewer than 50 employees or have held their job for fewer than a year.  I understand that compromises are needed to pass legislation, but according to a recent analysis by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, FMLA doesn't reach a whole lotta parents - supporting the need for its expansion not only to paid leave, but to workers at small firms, and workers new to their firms.  The holes are so big - as they say  - you could drive a backhoe through 'em.

Here's how these number-crunching wonks summarize this sorry state of affairs:

Two provisions in the Family and Medical Leave Act exclude a significant share of those who need unpaid family and medical leave. First, the requirement of a full year with the current employer to make use of leave excludes many first-time parents from coverage. Second, the requirement of having at least 50 employees also sharply reduces those eligible for leave. Both factors may lead to “job-lock.”

Some key findings are:

• Among workers aged 18 to 25, 43.3 percent of women and 31.2 percent of men with a child at home have held their job for less than a year.
• Among workers aged 18 to 25, 38.5 percent of whites, 48.0 percent of blacks, and 31.5 percent of Hispanics with a child at home have held their job for less than a year.
• Over a third of workers are employed in smaller firms.

Gotta see the report for yourself?  I know the feeling!

Back home on the range: When we tackle this in Oregon in the '09 session, let's be sure these numbers are included in the process so that we don't repeat the same mistakes.  Let's get these <50 firms at the table NOW, so we don't have to face any final hour shenanigans on this one.  Why create a program that leaves so many people without benefits?  While we can all surely see the "some is better than none" argument, I can also see the "some get what many others don't" angle.  Let's show the nation that Oregon values all families, not just those who meet certain employment criteria.   

Comments

[isabel toledo]

Good work and thanks for the information.

I wanted to let you know that I am trying to start an advocacy group to request a comprenhensive and fair family leave act for next year at the Oregon Congress.

I am calling for an invitation to come to our first meeting on April 5th in my house where Diane Rosembaum's aide will come and talk about he bill introduced last year and give us ideas for advocation.

If yo are interested in join this group and keep advocating for paid family leave, you can call me at 503-788-2922 and will give you more information.

Thanks so much/gracias

[LTF]

Isabel: Thanks so much for your comment and for laying such excellent groundwork! Let's definitely coordinate! Please keep us in the loop re meetings, outcomes, potential patnerships, opportunities to get involved, etc... Seems that on this one some serious advanced planning and cross-aisle partnerships is needed. And as for thank yous - a usted!

[LTF]

Save the date, mamas! Thanks to Isabel there'll be a planning meeting on Sat 4/5 @ 9 AM (kids welcome) to get this effort off the ground now so we are best prepared o get it passed in the 2009 session in Salem. Spread the word if you know other folks who are really interested in working on this, brainstorming, etc... Meeting location TBD.

[LTF]

NYT article today on the NJ bill, which passed the Senate after HEATED debate: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/nyregion/04leave.html?ex=1362373200&en=c40b1c8fad3449d1&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink. The NJ bill will be voted on 3/13/08 by the Assembly, which is expected to approve it. Like Oregon's 2007 version, it would be employee-paid. We shoudl read this closely and learn from the debate, the opposition, the sheer emotion.

Takes me back to when I interned in a (non OR) state legislature and billboards were up for discussion. My, my. Stategy, mamas, we'll need it. Good thing we're already planning to sit dowon on 4/5/08 and get this ball rolling, cause we may have to push it uphill.

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