Editor’s note: This commentary is by Kara Casey, an economic justice and housing specialist with the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence in Montpelier and member of the FaMLI Coalition.
[T]he Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence is committed to creating a world where all people can thrive. Making sure that every working Vermonter has access to paid family and medical leave insurance is an important step in creating that world here in Vermont.
We are far behind as a state and a nation. The United States has the largest economy in the world and yet is the only developed country to not offer any paid parental leave whatsoever. The lack of access to paid leave is putting a strain on working families, small businesses, and the overall economy. This must change.
Federal and state laws currently allow certain eligible employees to take unpaid family and medical leave, but many don’t take it when they need it because they can’t afford to. In fact, research shows that of the roughly 60 percent of workers in the U.S. who are eligible for unpaid leave, the majority who choose not to take it cite their inability to afford unpaid time off as the main reason.
No matter what stage of life each of us are in, this program is a critically important tool for maintaining economic security in challenging times.
Nearly every working Vermonter at some point will need to take time away from their job to care for or bond with a new child or to deal with a serious personal or family illness and very few Vermonters have access to parental leave or personal medical leave through their employer. In a state like Vermont where the majority of private sector businesses have fewer than 20 employees and often struggle to offer this needed benefit, we must develop an alternative solution.
While working Vermonters, families, and small businesses would see the immediate positive impact of having access to paid leave, it would also provide important returns on this investment in the long term, including stronger workforce attachment, higher wages for women, and a reduction in use of safety net programs. This type of economic security is crucial for working Vermonters and for the safety and healing of survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
No matter what stage of life each of us are in, this program is a critically important tool for maintaining economic security in challenging times. A statewide paid family and medical leave insurance program for all working Vermonters will support the health, wellbeing and economic security of our children, families and small businesses, and ensure that the next generation has a bright future.
The Vermont Network Against Sexual and Domestic Violence is looking forward to Vermont continuing on the path to implement such a program to help make our communities, families and businesses healthier and more economically secure so that current and future generations can thrive.
