This comment is by Kara Casey of Marshfield, director of economic empowerment at the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.
H.66, which has been overwhelmingly approved by the Vermont House of Representatives and is awaiting a hearing in the Senate, is the right path for Vermont when considering how to provide paid family leave.
Vermonters need a universal paid family and medical leave program that is strong, equitable and publicly administered.
Paid family and medical leave insurance is a program that, at some point, nearly every working Vermonter can benefit from. It provides support not just for new parents but for Vermonters at all stages of life. Parental leave that is accessible to both parents to care for a new child, provides workers time to care for themselves, a parent, or other family member will strengthen the health of our communities and our workforce.
It is also an important step towards equity in our state — both in the workforce and at home — by allowing women to remain employed and allowing men to step more fully into their roles as caregivers.
Vermonters already need to take this time, and many are forced to do so unpaid, which leads to loss of income that contributes to economic insecurity. Caregivers who don’t have paid leave are forced to drop out of the workforce to take care of their loved ones. People who are ill or recovering are going back into the workforce before they have had time to heal.
These impacts are felt not just by employees, but by their employers as well. A healthy, well-cared-for workforce is a productive, sustainable workforce.
Importantly, this legislation also includes job-protected safe leave for survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, and stalking. Survivors of violence deserve to be able to take the time to heal and to seek support and safety for themselves and their children. It is important to be able to access critical medical and mental health care without losing income.
The safe leave provisions in H.66 would improve survivors’ access to safety planning, mental health resources, medical care, and, if they so choose, the criminal legal system. Currently, we see survivors faced with the hard choice between accessing medical care after experiencing sexual assault, following through with court cases, moving to safer housing, and the ability to financially support themselves and their families.
Additionally, H.66 allows for survivors seeking these services to have the support of their loved ones, who would also be able to access paid leave.
A statewide paid family and medical leave insurance program, combined with a new safe leave law, will create robust economic supports for working survivors in Vermont. The universal paid family and medical leave plan as proposed in H.66 is essential for all Vermonters and our workforce to thrive and we urge the Senate to pass it before adjournment.
The Vermont Network Against Sexual and Domestic Violence sees this program as a necessary step on the path to help make our communities, families, and businesses healthier and more economically secure so that current and future generations can thrive.
