WASHINGTON, D.C. – On the floor of the United States Senate today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) said it’s time for the U.S. to shed its poor distinction of being one of only a few countries in the world to not offer paid family medical leave and called on Congress to pass the Strong Families Act authored by him and U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.).

“This is about people who are living paycheck to paycheck so they don’t have to make the agonizing decision between being able to put food on the table and pay the rent, and staying home to take care of an ill child or an elderly parent or to stay home a reasonable period after the joyous occasion of the arrival of a new child,” Senator King said. “It’s also about productivity. I believe that we will see an increase in productivity because people won’t be preoccupied when they’re at work. They know they’re going to be there and they know they’re going to have this protection. It takes away that agonizing worry and anxiety. And it also, by giving people paid leave, will enable them to continue to contribute to the economy.

“Of course everybody says we’re in competition with the rest of the world,” he continued. “Not on this. Everywhere else in the world provides this level of benefit.”

The Strong Families Act, introduced by Senator King and Senator Fischer earlier this month, would incentivize employers to voluntarily provide employees with paid parental or medical leave. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 requires employers of 50 or more employees to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave, which can be used for events like the birth or adoption of children, serious medical issues, or providing care to close family members. The challenge for many working families, particularly hourly workers living paycheck-to-paycheck, is that current law does not involve paid time off.

The legislation would enable working families to have continued access to pay while they are meeting necessary family obligations. The King-Fischer plan would create a tax credit to encourage employers of any size to voluntarily offer paid leave for workers; the legislation includes no new mandates.

• To be eligible for the tax credit, the employer must, at a minimum, offer four weeks of paid leave; they may offer more.
• Paid leave would be available on an hourly basis and would be separate from other vacation or sick leave; part-time employees would qualify for paid leave.
• For each hour of paid leave provided, the employer would receive a 25 percent non-refundable tax credit. The more paid FMLA time the employer offers, the greater the tax credit.
• This tax credit would be available to any employer with qualified employees, regardless of size.
• Employers are prohibited from retaliating against employees who participate in the program.

To read a summary of the legislation, click HERE. Senators King and Fischer also penned an opinion piece explaining their proposal, which was published on CNN.com and can be read by clicking HERE.

###