Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Paid Family Leave in the News

Our push for paid family leave got more coverage this weekend, this time from the New York Times:
Gov. Eliot Spitzer is pushing behind the scenes to win legislative backing for a plan that would give workers several weeks of paid leave to care for newborn children or seriously ill family members.

Under the plan — which would make New York one of three states to provide paid family leave — workers could take up to 12 weeks per year off, with a maximum benefit of $170 a week.
. . .
While Mr. Spitzer has been able to line up the support of the Democratic-controlled Assembly, advocates of the plan say he has not yet been able to gain enough support in the Republican-controlled Senate.
. . .
"For the first time, it will allow working New Yorkers to take the necessary time to care for a sick family member or bond with a newborn child without going broke," a top Spitzer aide said.
. . .
Labor unions, women's groups and the Working Families Party have been the primary advocates of paid leave.

"It's a common-sense reform, and for the governor it looks like a win-win," said Daniel Cantor, executive director of the Working Families Party. "We're still going to have to persuade the Republican Senate on this, but it feels doable because this is a very popular idea."
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More coverage here:

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