It's simple: Strong leave policies are good for businesses. Just read the words of Susan Wojcicki in the pages of the Wall Street Journal last year. Seventeen years ago, she was the first employee to take maternity leave at a small startup called Google.
This holiday season, make sure Mayor Bowser remembers paid family leave.
It's the holidays, and many of us are looking forward to spending the season with our loved ones. But while we can plan around calendared holidays, there are many times that our families need us unexpectedly. So before Mayor Bowser goes on vacation, will you take a moment to remind her that we need her leadership on Paid Family Leave?
Please take 5 minutes to write a personalized note about why you support paid leave for everyone living or working in DC. Personal emails, as opposed to form letters, are more likely to be read and responded to.
"Paid Leave Would Help DC Families"
"Paid family leave is vitally important to building and maintaining healthy families and strong communities in DC."
That's the crux of a blog post by the DC Fiscal Policy Institute that came out today. DCFPI Executive Director Ed Lazere argues that a strong paid leave program will especially help low- and moderate-income DCers remain financially stable even when life circumstances are anything but.
Testimony for Paid Family Leave
Last Wednesday, several dozen invited experts testified before the DC Council about our paid family leave bill, the Universal Paid Leave Act of 2015. One witness was Jacob Feinspan, Executive Director of lead coalition partner Jews United for Justice.
Jacob spoke movingly about his own experience caring for a premature newborn, and how this inspired him to offer paid parental leave to the JUFJ staff. Read the rest of Jacob's testimony below.
80% of DC agrees: Family comes first.
Exciting news: Public Policy Polling just released a survey of DC voters, and an overwhelming majority - 80 percent! - agreed that DC needs paid family and medical leave.
Of those voters, most supports the full 16-week period of paid leave called for in the paid leave bill currently before the DC Council.
Personal stories in the National Journal
Last Thursday, partner group MomsRising helped organize a lobby day at the DC Council. Moms, moms-to-be, and some precious cargo told Councilmembers why DC needs paid family and medical leave. The National Journal was there to capture some of the advocates' stories. Read them here.
The cutest activists in DC
Letters to the Washington Post editor in response to "D.C.’s paid-leave proposal goes way too far"
The Washington Post's Editorial Board wrote a misguided and inaccurate editorial about the bill for Paid Family Leave in DC. In response, several people wrote letters to the Washington Post Editor with corrections to show why they care about Paid Family Leave for DC. Here are some of the letters that show why DC needs Paid Family and Medical Leave.
Click to read more
What a week!
It's been a pretty wonderful week here at the Paid Family Leave coalition. On Tuesday, seven District of Columbia Councilmembers joined together to introduce the Universal Paid Leave Act of 2015, which would provide family and medical leave for everyone who lives or works in the District.
"I'm an employer, and I support DC's family leave bill"
There's a reason so many small businesses and nonprofits have signed on to the Paid Family Leave coalition. Strong, fair leave policies benefit workers AND bosses. David Alpert is a local writer who covers urban policy for Greater Greater Washington. He's also a father and an employer. Here's why he supports paid family and medical leave for everyone who works or lives in DC.
Families for Paid Family Leave
Media Roundup: Paid Family Leave Bill Introduction
Yesterday, seven District of Columbia Councilmembers joined together to introduce the Universal Paid Leave Act of 2015, which would provide family and medical leave for everyone who lives or works in the District.
The program, championed by DC's At-Large Councilmembers David Grosso and Elissa Silverman, would allow working Washingtonians to take up to 16 weeks of paid leave to care for a new child, an ailing family member, or a personal illness.
If the bill is successful, DC will be the first city in the nation to provide family and medical leave for all. It's a fact that local and national media couldn't ignore. Here is just some of the coverage the introduction of this landmark legislation received:
PRESS RELEASE: District of Columbia Paid Family and Medical Leave Bill Introduced Today Would Make DC First City to Provide Paid Leave For All
The Washington Post Agrees: DC Needs Paid Family Leave!
Aaron Davis of the Washington Post writes, "The District would become the most generous place in the country for a worker to take time off after giving birth or to care for a dying parent under a measure supported by a majority of the D.C. Council."
Read why here at the Washington Post. And vote in the poll - do you want to see Paid Family Leave in DC??
A visit to the Council
What we’ve been up to...
Business School Faculty say: Paid Family Leave works!
Business School Faculty from all over the country wrote a letter to Congress expressing their support for Paid Family Leave. They know that Paid Family Leave is beneficial for both businesses and people - it's a win-win.
"We, the undersigned 203 business school faculty members from 88 institutions across the country, write this letter in support of making paid family and medical leave available to all working families.* Sound business practices, data from other countries, our own research with employers, employees and organizations, and our experiences teaching the business leaders of tomorrow compel our conclusion that the United States must adopt a national paid family and medical leave policy. "
Read more: http://src.bna.com/if
Happy Father's Day!
This week, JUFJ members and allies have shown us why we need #PaidLeave4DC. In honor of Father's Day, take a moment to take action:
- Click "Take Action" at the top of this page and tell the DC Council we need Paid Family Leave!
- Go to wetweet.org/DC and tell your DC Councilmembers you care in less than one minute
- Click "Share your story" and tell us why you need Paid Family Leave
- Follow twitter.com/dcpaidleave to stay tuned!
Tell the DC City Council: It’s time to #LeadOnLeaveDC!
Happy #TBT! Here are some cute pics
This #TBT JUFJ staff wishes everyone a Happy Father’s Day! Here are some pictures of our staff with our dads, granddads, and fathers-in-law. We honor their caregiving this Father’s Day by working to pass Paid Family Leave in DC. Join us by telling the DC Council you’re ready to #LeadOnLeaveDC: wetweet.org/dc