Senator Murray on Reintroducing Family Act: Critical Step Toward Providing Greater Stability For Families, Businesses, Economy

Press Release

U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) joined 27 of her Democratic colleagues to reintroduce the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act, or FAMILY Act, legislation that would create a universal, gender-neutral paid family and medical leave program. The legislation creates a self-sustaining family insurance program for all workers -- young and elderly, single and married, and men and women, regardless of the size of their employer. Modeled after successful state programs, the fund would provide up to 66 percent wage-replacement for 12 weeks in the event of a serious personal or family medical emergency.

"Today far too many working families are forced to choose between their paycheck and taking care of themselves or a loved one," said Senator Murray. "I'm proud that Washington state is leading the way on paid leave, and advancing the FAMILY Act would be a critical step toward strengthening and providing greater stability nationwide for families, businesses, and our economy."

"The FAMILY Act is the affordable, comprehensive paid family and medical leave plan the United States needs," said Debra L. Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families. "It is simply unacceptable that millions of Americans work hard every day, yet are one birth, accident or illness away from financial devastation because our public policies fail to provide paid leave. Most other countries and a handful of U.S. states have figured it out, and businesses of all sizes understand the benefits. Lawmakers who claim to value families need to take a hard look at what our nation's paid leave crisis is costing workers and their families, businesses and the economy and commit to a strong, tested national policy like the FAMILY Act. America's working families cannot -- and will not -- settle for less."

The United States is the only industrialized nation without a national paid leave program, and only 14 percent of American workers have access to paid family leave through their employer. Without a national paid family leave program, the U.S. economy loses almost $21 billion a year, women lose $324,000 in wages and retirement benefits over a lifetime, and men lose $284,000. A lack of a national paid leave program hurts businesses; studies show that businesses incur an additional 20 percent cost to recruit and retrain new workers replacing others who left because they did not have paid leave.

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