Why Obama's Paid Family and Sick Leave Plan Is Awesome For You

Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

“How many working parents know that sinking feeling from sending their child off to school with a fever?” asks White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett in her Wednesday post, “Why We Think Paid Leave Is a Worker’s Right, Not a Privilege,” on LinkedIn. “And how many moms and dads have been denied the ability to bond with their newborn, or to care for an aging parent, all because they could not afford to miss work?” Too many, according to President Barack Obama.

On Thursday, the head of state signed a presidential memorandum in the Oval Office directing agencies to allow federal workers to take up to six weeks of paid sick leave to care for a new child or ill family members – even if they haven’t accrued it. “All employers, including the Federal Government, should support parents to ensure they can both contribute fully in the workplace and also meet the needs of their families,” states the document, “Modernizing Federal Leave Policies for Childbirth, Adoption and Foster Care to Recruit and Retain Talent and Improve Productivity.”

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But the President isn’t stopping at that. He is also urging Congress to pass the Healthy Families Act – granting all Americans seven days a year of paid sick time – and will propose “using more than $2 billion in new funds to encourage states to develop paid family and medical leave programs as part of its upcoming budget,” reports the Washington Post. For the 43 million private sector U.S. employees without any paid sick leave, the President’s plans are a game changer.

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“Allowing working families just a little bit of flexibility not only takes pressure off of our workers and their loved ones, it fosters more stable, productive and profitable workplaces, greater employee loyalty and lower turnover,” Jarrett tells Yahoo Parenting. “The fact is, this is not a partisan issue.  It’s a family issue.  And it’s an economic issue.” Here’s why this news benefits you:

Paid Sick Leave Makes Parenting Easier
The way families live and work today is full of impossible choices, Vicki Shabo, vice president of the National Partnership for Women & Families, tells Yahoo Parenting. “For workers paid hourly, without a single paid sick day, they’re having to choose between earning a paycheck to pay their rent or to take care of a sick child.” Those at the higher end of the income spectrum have been hurting too, she says. “Our lack of standards means our culture doesn’t support policies that allow people to take time off, even if they’re financially able to. Many feel they can’t take time because it’ll have negative implications on their career.” The push for paid leave, that will make those dilemmas moot, “is great news,” she says.

The Workplace Will Become More Equal for Men and Women
“The provision of paid leave to employees will tend to increase parity between men and women in the American workplace in terms of both pay and opportunities,” Liz Morris, Deputy Director of the Center for WorkLife Law at the University of California, Hastings College of Law, tells Yahoo Parenting. “Reports show that women who have access to paid leave are more likely to return to work following the end of the leave, and earn higher wages in the future.” The workplace at home, caring for newborns, will change too. “Studies show that men are more likely to take family leave when it is paid,” she adds. “And as more men take leave, the stigma surrounding taking leave will decrease.”

Private Companies Will Be Pushed to Change Too
Nearly one in two working parents has turned down a job because it would not work for their family, Jarrett revealed in her statement. “The truth is,” she wrote, “the success and productivity of our workers is inextricably tied to their ability to care for their families and maintain a stable life at home.” As private companies see the positive economic impact of paid leave, they’ll be more likely to consider adopting it as well. “Studies show that employers benefit from providing paid leave through increased productivity, reduced employee turnover and absenteeism, and retention of women,” explains Morris. “Through Obama’s laudable initiative, the government can serve as a model to private sector companies.” This conversation has been meaningful for a long time, Jennifer Owens, Director of The Working Mother Research Institute tells Yahoo Parenting. “Hopefully now it’ll become meaningful to the people who hold the key to the power of change.”

It’s a Step Toward Catching Up With the Rest of the World
The U.S. is the only industrialized country in the world that does not provide paid leave to new parents, Morris laments. But the President’s plan isn’t about keeping score, it’s about economic survival. “If U.S. employers are going to compete globally,” Jarrett tells Yahoo Parenting, “they will need family friendly workplace policies in order to attract and retain the best and brightest minds.” Putting paid sick leave in place benefits families, employers and the nation’s bottom line. “There’s something for everybody,” Owens sums it up. “It’s a win-win-win.”

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