Editor’s note: This commentary is by the Rev. Earl Kooperkamp, who is the rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Barre. As an Episcopal clergyperson for over 30 years, he has sought to strengthen families and marginalized individuals in our society. He currently serves as president of the board of directors of Vermont Interfaith Action. He lives with his wife in Corinth.
[O]ne of the greatest challenges we face in Vermont is taking care of our working families. In his inaugural speech last week, Gov. Phil Scott spoke of the importance of creating a positive climate to bring younger workers to Vermont to strengthen our economy. This is a goal many of us share. One policy that can go a long way in fostering this positive work environment for younger workers and their families is implementation of paid family and medical leave.
The Clergy Caucus of Vermont Interfaith Action has undertaken a campaign we call “Movement Toward a Moral Economy.” Using our religious traditions and scriptures as a basis, we seek to support policies which will ensure justice and fairness for all Vermonters, from our most vulnerable neighbors to the hard-working families of our state. Paid family and medical leave is a matter that certainly meets the basic tenants of developing fairness and equity for our workforce. It guarantees families will have the resources necessary to remain strong and intact without having undue worries for their financial well-being when welcoming children into their midst or when needing to care for ailing family members. This is a right that all working Vermonters need regardless of the nature of employment.
When we have strong, working families in our state who have the security of knowing that their employers and their communities support them, we are all better off.
The VT FaMLI Campaign is working to develop an insurance program enabling all Vermont employers to supply the benefit of paid family and medical leave to their employees. This program is a support for businesses as much as it is for employees. It will make our workforce healthier and better prepared to return to work, and it will make all Vermont employers more competitive, which will strengthen our economy.
Currently, the cost of taking leave is hidden, and it is often borne entirely by the working families who must make sacrifices – whether they are taking unpaid time or leaving a job or making other arrangements at childbirth; sacrificing the time they should spend with their newborn child or in caring for a sick family member. This cost affects our society, and a family and medical leave insurance program is an investment in a more stable workforce and healthier future generations.
Paid family and medical leave is not just the right thing to do, but it makes a great deal of practical sense as well. When we have strong, working families in our state who have the security of knowing that their employers and their communities support them, we are all better off. Bringing about this change will be an important step forward for all Vermonters. The times are changing, and those changes have an effect on our business climate and on our working families. It is now time to live up to the challenges those changes bring by making paid family and medical leave available to hard-working families in Vermont.
