Editor’s note: This commentary is by Caitlin Frauton of Moretown.
[I]’m writing in regards with H.107, the bill to establish a statewide family and medical leave insurance program, that’s coming before the Senate. This bill would ensure every working Vermonter has access to paid time off to welcome a new child, recover from illness or injury, or care for a loved one. As a new, working mom who is part of dual-income household, it’s clear that this bill is essential to the well-being and stability of Vermont families and communities.
The argument is often made against paid family leave saying that families should be 100% responsible for the cost of having a child (aka “Don’t have kids if you can’t afford them.”). While this sounds like a reasonable argument, there are a lot of costs with having children today that are substantially larger than past generations.
Health care expenses alone have jumped from an annual average of $146 per person in 1960 (which is the equivalent to $1,254 today) to $10,739 per person in 2017. It’s also not uncommon today for child care to cost as much or more than housing. In addition, many people of childbearing age are still paying off their own student loans — debt no other generation has beared the burden of like this one.
When considering the costs of having a child in today’s world (in addition to the necessities of clothes, diapers, cribs, etc.), it’s impossible for many families to lose any income — especially, when at the same time their monthly bills are increasing substantially. The reality is that most hardworking families in our communities need two incomes to make ends meet and many live paycheck to paycheck despite their best efforts not to. Losing income during such an important time of life is a serious financial setback that it may take months or even years to recuperate from, if ever.
There’s also another area where research demonstrates that family leave is essential, and that’s healthy outcomes for babies and mothers after childbirth. The very minimum recommended time off from work for healthy outcomes for babies and mothers is 12 weeks. Research has shown that 10 weeks of paid maternity leave reduces infant mortality by 10%. In the U.S., however, 1 in 4 moms returns to work only 10 days after giving birth. Many other countries around the world understand why paid leave is so important and invest in their families to save on future costs that arise when the physical and emotional health of families declines.
For instance, here is how much paid time off is mandated in other developed countries: Finland – 161 weeks; Germany – 58 weeks; Canada – 52 weeks; France – 42 weeks; United Kingdom – 39 weeks; Australia -18 weeks; Mexico – 12 weeks. And the United States – 0. What these other countries understand is that when parents return to work earlier than their family is ready, it’s not only families that suffer, but the greater community as well. They know an investment in one family is an investment in their entire country’s well-being.
And therein lies the heart of why this bill is so important: Though we think we know the people in our local communities when we see them at our local coffee shop and they smile and say they are doing well, the reality is we often have very little idea what family health and financial issues people are struggling with or to what extent. H.107 is an investment in the well-being of everyone in our communities. In Vermont we are keenly aware of how interconnected our lives are, and when one family is struggling that has a subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) ripple effect on everyone single one of us.
Additionally, the Senate Committee on Economic Development recently made an unfortunate change to the bill and eliminated leave for personal illness or injury. This is a fundamental component to family and medical leave programs, and Vermont would be the only state that does not include medical leave out of the states that have implemented or enacted paid family and medical leave programs. It seems ironic to be removing such an important component from a bill to support families. If you can’t take the time needed to care for your health when necessary, then how much good can you actually be to your family?
For this reason, I urge you to call your senators and let them know that you’re in support of this bill – and that it must include both family and medical leave. We all know people who have needed time off from work to either take care of their own health or that of a loved one. Caring for ourselves and caring for the ones we love are fundamental parts of being human. This public program works, has been successful in states across the nation. It’s clear that for a relatively small cost, all our families and communities will be stronger and more stable because of it.
