Washington, D.C. — Today, the Center for American Progress, alongside 25 advocacy organizations, released “The Need for Paid Safe Leave and Model Legislative Language.” This new resource is the first product of the safe leave working group of which the Center for American Progress and Futures Without Violence are proud members and co-chairs. Safe leave is a critical resource for the safety, agency, and economic security of survivors of all types of violence, including gender-based violence and harassment, family and domestic violence, and sexual violence. This document is a resource for policymakers, advocates, and stakeholders that provides key context for the importance of paid safe leave and includes model policy language for providing paid safe leave. This resource can be utilized or adapted for different contexts to meet policymakers’ and advocates’ needs.
The safe leaving working group is made up of state, national, and Tribal experts and advocates from across policy spaces, based on the principle that paid, protected leave from work is an essential tool. This new resource includes briefing materials on the need for paid safe leave, options for how to secure paid leave, and recommended language to pass safe leave to ensure optimal support for survivors of all types of violence.
“This resource offers policy proposals and guidance for policymakers at all levels to advocate for and urge legislative action on protecting paid safe leave. Guaranteeing access to paid safe leave ensures that survivors of violence can pursue safety without jeopardizing their paychecks or their jobs,” said Molly Weston Williamson, senior fellow for the Women’s Initiative at CAP.
Read the resource: “The Need for Paid Safe Leave and Model Legislative Language”
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Sarah Nadeau at [email protected].