Embracing change: Your guide to The Family Act and the Future of Paid Leave in America
If you’ve ever wished for a world where life’s most significant moments don’t clash with your paycheck, read on to see some exciting things on the upcoming docket. Meet the Family (Family and Medical Insurance Leave) Act- the innovative federal bill that’s aiming to rewrite the script on family and medical leave benefits.
Imagine a world where taking care of your family or yourself means sacrificing your career you have worked so hard for or your livelihood. Senators Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY) and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) are the masterminds behind this transformation, steering legislation towards paid leave and medical leave benefits for all.
Let’s dive into what sets this act apart from current legislation.
Rethinking Leave
To compare the Family Act to its predecessor, The Federal Medical Leave Act (commonly known as FMLA), is like trading in antiquated technology for the latest and greatest available. While FMLA offered up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave (to those who qualified), the Family Act ups the ante by introducing up to 12 weeks of paid leave benefits per year. This leave can be taken intermittently or consecutively, depending on the circumstances. The Family Act also encompasses nearly all full-time employees, not just a select few.
Decoding the Provisions: The Family Act’s Key Elements
Most families in the US know the dread of unpaid leave. It feels like you’re hitting pause on your life while the world keeps moving. The Family Act hopes to break that cycle. By introducing the Federal Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program, parents can be there for life’s crucial moments without worrying about making ends meet. Whether you become a parent through the birth or adoption of a child, caring for a seriously ill family member, or your own serious health condition, the benefits apply to you. The Center for American Progress summarized paid leave as “being able to be there for first breaths and last words. It means getting the care you need when you need it- without risking the roof over your head. It means peace of mind, for moments you wish for as well as the ones you hope will never come”.
Who is Eligible?
Eligibility of the new benefits would be based on your work history or “work credit” requirements of Social Security Disability (enter link). It would also look at employment status, hours, and duration of employment. This would provide coverage to all eligible employees, based on work history and hours work for the previous 12 months.
Addressing the Fine Print
The Family Act is a step in the right direction as workers would get around 85% of regular pay (if you’re working at the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hr). That still leaves a significant gap on what is hardly a living wage in many areas but could help potentially millions of people out from being able to afford their parental leave without significant hardship.
So, who pays for this? The bill proposes introducing a tax on employers, employees, and self-employed individuals to fund the Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FMLI) benefits. It would be similar to unemployment benefits that an employer currently pays into.
Who is in charge? The Social Security Administration would administer the bill, which would give the necessary infrastructure to process and distribute FMLI benefits.
Join the Conversation
The Family Act is set to be debated and be discussed when Congress reconvenes in September. Please contact your congress representatives to let them know how important the Family Act is to the American people and can bring benefits to our country that are commonplace in other countries.
