Trump budget proposal is NOT paid family leave and would burden states
Statement from Josh Levs, author of award-winning book All In, which explains paid family leave and “follows the money” to show how it works:
Yet again, the Trump administration fails businesses and families. The proposal in the president’s budget is not paid family leave and could put a needless burden on states. Like all things Trump, this plan ignores basic facts, including proven solutions that work for everyone.
The proposal involves parental leave. Paid family leave allows paid time off to care for a family member, including an elderly parent, which increasing numbers of Americans are doing. (The Department of Labor makes this clear.) And often, these programs are actually paid family and medical leave, allowing employees paid time to recover from illness. Less than 25% of paid family and medical leaves each year are to care for newborn children.
The president’s budget says, “States would be required to provide six weeks of parental leave and the proposal gives States broad latitude to design and finance the program.” This makes no sense. Infrastructure is needed to collect the funds that create paid family leave insurance, and to distribute them as needed. A handful of states have disability insurance, so they have found it relatively easy to add on paid family leave insurance. But the other states don’t. A requirement forcing them to create this infrastructure could cost states money, time, and energy.
But you know what governmental body already has infrastructure that could make paid family leave insurance an add-on? The federal government. The FAMILY Act, which is before Congress, would accomplish this. It’s based on the proven success of paid family leave insurance in California, New Jersey and Rhode Island. (New York’s program will begin in 2018.) In these states, tiny payroll deductions create a large enough fund to cover paid family leave. Under these state programs, when employees are out on this leave, businesses do not have to pay their salaries. The results are phenomenal. Profits, productivity, and employee retention are up. Fewer people drop out of the workforce. Fewer people rely on public assistance. And, most importantly, families can care for their loved ones at crucial times without becoming impoverished. (All In is filled with hard figures on this.)
Given the Trump administration’s already abysmal record, it’s no surprise that the working group run by Ivanka since January has managed to learn nothing about how paid family leave works in the United States and why it lifts profits. Let’s not forget that Ivanka spoke out for maternity leave during the Republican National Convention and soon advertised the dress she had worn -- a dress made by women who did not get paid maternity leave. And the disastrous health care bill this president is pushing would punish families, including expecting parents.
Majorities of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents support paid family leave. Nearly 80% want it established through a federal law. I spent time on Capitol Hill meeting with equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans. Democrats are lining up behind the FAMILY Act. The Republicans I met with had no arguments against it. Still, not one Republican has yet signed onto the FAMILY Act, even though 66% of Republican voters want a national paid family leave law. Republicans are ignoring their own majority. I’m happy to be part of a working group run by the office of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand that is pushing the FAMILY Act.
If the Trump administration wants to finally do something right for families and businesses across the country, it should support what’s already been proven to work. Paid family leave insurance is crucial for families, businesses, and the cause of gender equality. It’s time for America to go All In.
For more on this, see Levs’ book and keynote addresses, such as his Talk at Google.
Headshot and more available in the media kit at joshlevs.com/contact, or via Dropbox.
Levs also offers workshops for media, explaining paid family leave and more.
Josh Levs spent 20 years reporting for NPR and CNN, where he developed expertise in nonpartisan fact checking. He also created a role covering, and busting myths about, modern families. In 2015, HarperCollins published his book All In: How Our Work-First Culture Fails Dads, Families and Businesses -- And How We Can Fix It Together, which has won rave reviews and the Nautilus Gold prize.
The United Nations named him a Global Champion of Gender Equality and a HeForShe leader. The Financial Times named him one of the top 10 male feminists.
Levs has received many of the highest honors in journalism, including six Peabody Awards and two Edward R. Murrow Awards. A scholarship was awarded in his name at his alma mater, Yale University. He lives in Atlanta with his wife and their three children.
Josh Levs’ opening remarks at the United Nations
