Ensuring Low-Wage Workers Also ‘Benefit’ from Benefits

While the Family and Medical Leave Act was an important first step to help workers manage their commitments to both their employers and their families, there is still work to be done, especially for low-wage workers.

Building an Economy for All, Paid Leave

On February 5, 1993, President Clinton signed his first bill into law. It was no accident that the bill was the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The FMLA was the first piece of federal legislation intended to help workers manage their commitments to both their employers and their families, and Clinton campaigned on a pledge to sign the law. Unfortunately, 20 years have passed since that historic moment, and no additional work-family legislation has made its way onto the books. And while the FMLA was an important first step, there is still work to be done, especially for low-wage workers. Now is the time to extend the legacy by providing paid leave for all working Americans.

The above excerpt was originally published in Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity. Click here to view the full article.

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