Chris Heck: New federal paid leave policy efforts would benefit many

When Congress left session at the end of 2023, many potential areas for much-needed reform were left unresolved. One such area is the federal paid family leave policy.

Last year was the 30-year anniversary of the passage of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which guaranteed protection for workers who needed to take time off from their jobs to care for themselves, a newborn or a family member. This vital law protected Americans from financial ruin in the case that necessity required them to take time off work, but it is a far cry from a federal policy that grants every worker paid leave.

A 2023 analysis found that 44% of American workers do not qualify for this kind of leave. Furthermore, it only guarantees employers cannot hold this leave against them, so it essentially protects unpaid leave. Employees rely on compensation to ensure they can stay financially stable while completing another kind of difficult work — supporting their families.

We are one of only a few countries not to have a paid parental leave program for new mothers, and we are trailing behind other nations in paid leave for new fathers as well. Instead, a patchwork of paid family leave policies currently exists, with 14 states and the District of Columbia having implemented a form of the benefit.

Extending this to a uniform federal program is the logical next step. Supporting new parents as they attempt to balance spending time with their families with protecting their financial stability should never be a partisan or geographically divided issue.

The impact of supporting young parents, particularly mothers, cannot be overstated. The industries and individual businesses our country consists of are made up of real people with families they deserve to spend time with. If new parents are given paid leave at the beginning of their journey, they will be incentivized to take that appropriate amount of time off and return to work rather than leaving the workforce altogether to care for their children. This will help keep our economy strong and provide opportunities for parents to balance family life with accelerating their careers.

Although some Republicans have shown hesitancy to support a program that may appear as new government spending, there are reasons both parties should work toward passing a federal paid leave law. This political win would allow Democrats to make progress on a long-term goal and give Republicans the opportunity to embrace this pro-family policy that will support new parents. Protecting our families as they boost the economy can and should be something on which lawmakers on either side of the aisle can agree.

Thankfully, a bipartisan family leave action plan appears to finally be gaining real momentum with a bipartisan group of senators and House members setting out to make progress on the issue and requesting input from various groups regarding different types of paid leave programs and their feasibility. At the top of 2024, House lawmakers released a framework on paid leave access that contains policies with “current consensus,” although the policy has divided Congress for years. Central to building and planning this bipartisan group was our own Sen. Bob Casey, who has been working across the aisle knowing that this issue needs to be resolved and ensuring that there’s a path for consensus.

If a solution is implemented at the federal level, many Americans would be surprised to find how their quality of life will improve from access to paid family leave. We must continue to work together to show lawmakers of all political beliefs that their constituents want and need to be able to balance their careers with caring for their loved ones. Our businesses and families depend on it.

Chris Heck is president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce.