Washington, D.C. — Today, Gov. Jay Inslee (D-WA) signed into law a bipartisan bill making Washington the 5th state in the United States to establish a paid family and medical leave program.
Shilpa Phadke, senior director of the Women’s Initiative at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement on Gov. Inslee’s signature:
Nearly all workers will at some point in their lives need to care for a sick family member or take time for themselves to tend to their own health. Gov. Inslee’s signature today is an important step forward for the millions of Washington workers and families who will no longer have to worry that they will have to skip a paycheck or lose their job in order to care for a loved one.
To meet the diverse needs of 21st century families—and to catch up with the overwhelming majority of countries in the world—Congress should take a cue from Washington state and finally pass a comprehensive national paid leave program. As the cities, states, and companies that have already embraced paid family and medical leave have demonstrated, it is a commonsense investment in the working families that drive the economy forward.
For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, please contact Devon Kearns at 202.741.6290 or [email protected].