DLCIdeasPrimary:ExpandingtheFamilyandMedicalLeaveActonits15thAnniversary

ByKatieCampbell,DLCIdeasPrimary:

LostintheexcitementoftheSuperTuesdaywasthe15^thanniversaryoftheFamilyMedicalLeaveAct(FMLA),alawthathasgivenmillionsAmericanstheabilitytotakeunpaidtimetocareforlovedonesorrecoverfromtheirownseriousillnesswithoutfearoflosingtheirjob.AftereightyearsofmovingthroughCongressandtwopresidentialvetoes,onFebruary5,1993PresidentBillClintonfulfilledhiscampaignpromiseandsignedFMLAintolaw-thefirstbillhesignedaspresident.

Underthecurrentlawemployeeswhohaveworkedfor12monthsandputinatleast1,250hoursattheirjobcantakeupto12weeksofunpaidleavetocareforasickfamilymember,careforanewbornornewlyadoptedbaby,orrecoverfromtheirownillness.Inthe15yearssincetheenactmentofFMLA,morethan50millionpeoplehavetakenadvantageofthisopportunity.However,onlyworkerswhosecompanyemploysmorethan50peopleareeligiblefortheleave.Becauseoftheserestrictions,FMLAisonlyavailablefor45percentofpeopleintheprivatesector.

ThisJanuarymarkedthefirst-everexpansionofFMLAwhenPresidentBushsignedtheDepartmentofDefenseAuthorizationConferenceReportwhichincludedadditionalunpaidfamilymedicalleaveforthefamiliesofAmericansoldiers.Thisplan,originallysponsoredbySenatorsChrisDoddandHillaryClintonwillgivefamiliesofwoundedmilitarypersonneluptosixmonthsofunpaidleavetocarefortheirlovedones.Atatimewhenmilitaryfamilieshaveexhibitedgreatsacrificeandundertakentremendousamountsofstress,thislawisanecessarynextstepinFMLAimprovement.

Yet,thereisstillmoretodo.Asleadersreflectonthe15^thAnniversaryofFMLA,theymustalsorenewtheircommitmenttoexpandingthelawsothatallAmericanscanhaveaccesstofamilyleavetime.TheProgressivePolicyInstitute(PPI)hasbeenaconsistentchampionforstrongwork-familybalancepolicies.Inthepaper,[1]FlexibleWorkforStrongFamilies,PPIoutlinesaprogressiveagendaforflexibleworkandleave.Policyactionsincludethecreationof:

A“3-6-12″systemofguaranteedleave.Thisnewleaveplanwouldgiveallworkersacombinationofpaidandunpaidleave,includingthreedaysofunpaid,short-termleaveperyeartobeusedforessentialpersonalandfamilybusinesssuchaasparent-teacherconferencesanddoctors’visits;sixweeksofpaidforthebirthoradoptionofanewchildorforserioushealthcrisesintheimmediatefamily;and12weeksofunpaidleaveunderFLMAformillionsmoreworkers,byrequiringcompanieswithmorethan25moreemployeestocomplywiththelaw.

Arighttorequestflexibility.Beyondprovisionstoallowleavefromworkforspecialfamilycircumstances,a“RighttoRequestFlexibility”benefitwouldhelpparentsarrangetheireverydayworklivesinawaythatbalancesworkandfamilyobligations.Withinreason,parentsshouldbeabletorequestflexibleschedules,andtheburdenshouldbeontheemployertoshowwhytheycannotaccommodatethoserequests.

“HomeWork”taxcreditfortelecommuters.Thistaxcreditwouldhelpparentsandotherswhoworkfromhomebecausetheyarecaringforafamilymemberbyoffsettingthecostoftelecommuting-relatedexpenseslikecomputers,softwareforsharingandsecuringbusinessdataonline,printers,faxmachinesantothernecessaryequipment.

“WorkingFamilies2020″project.Theestablishmentofthisjointentitywouldbringtogetherthepublicandprivatesectors,non-profits,unionsandfaith-basedorganizations,toshareideasandresourcesandpromotebestpractices.

ProgressivefamilyleavehelpsAmericanworkersbecomemoreproductiveonthejobandmoreresponsibleathome.Thankfully,bothDemocraticcandidatesHillaryClintonandBarackObamahaveoutlinedboldwork-familyagendas.Ittook15yearstoexpandFMLA.Let’shopethatthenextpresidentfollowsintheDemocratictraditionofBillClintonandmakeswork-familybalanceapriorityofhisorheradministration.NoAmericanshouldhavetochoosebetweentheirpaycheckandtheirfamily.