Rep. Dan Goldman Pushes to Establish National Paid Family and Medical Leave Program

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) today joined Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-02) in introducing the Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act, landmark legislation to finally establish a national paid family and medical leave program in the United States. 

 

“No New Yorker should ever have to choose between caring for their loved one and keeping their job,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “While Republicans slash health care for over 15 million people across the country, I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing a bill to make this pro-family, pro-growth, and commonsense policy a reality. Ensuring that every worker has access to paid family and medical leave will strengthen families, stabilize businesses, and guarantee that every worker has the right to care for their families without jeopardizing their livelihoods.” 

 

The FAMILY Act would provide up to 12 weeks of partial income for workers who need time away from work to recover from a serious health condition, welcome a new child, care for a loved one, address issues related to domestic violence or sexual assault, or handle circumstances arising from a family member’s military deployment. Workers would be guaranteed job protection, retaliation safeguards, and benefits regardless of the size of their employer. Part-time, contingent, and self-employed workers would also be eligible. 

 

Congressman Goldman has fought tirelessly to strengthen workplace rights and protections for American workers since taking office. 

 

This winter, Goldman cosponsored the ‘Job Protection Act,’ which would expand the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to millions of workers who are currently unable to take time off to care for themselves or their families. Nearly 2.6 million workers every year decline to take family or medical leave out of fear that they will lose their jobs due to gaps in FMLA coverage.