On November 19th the House voted largely along party lines to pass the Build Back Better Act, which included four weeks of paid family and medical leave, a provision that had previously been removed. The bill now heads to a Senate vote, where, unfortunately, paid leave faces more resistance. In particular, West Virginian Democratic Senator Joe Manchin has signaled that the provision is a cost he may not be willing to support.
Now is a critical time to show your support for paid leave, and there are ways you can get involved: and take action. Join our partners by:
- Join Paid Leave For All in calling 1-888-897-0174 or texting “wecare” to 747464 and let your elected officials know that you want to keep paid leave provisions in the Build Back Better Act
- Join Family Values at Work in sending a selfie to your Senator or a letter to the President to tell them we need paid leave for all working people.
- Got a Twitter account? Post a photo of yourself and your loved ones with the hashtag #PaidLeaveForAll, and let President Biden (@POTUS) know why paid leave is crucial for you and your family
While the fight for paid leave has undoubtedly been a roller coaster, the NC Families Care Coalition isn’t giving up. We know that paid leave is more than just a beneficial policy – it’s a necessity for all working North Carolinians and their families, regardless of their field or place of employment. And it’s something that people across the state have shown support for, too. This year we’ve seen paid leave policies passed in the City of Asheville and Buncombe County. We’ve also seen community advocates and progressive state lawmakers bring issues around paid leave to the forefront by introducing statewide worker-friendly legislation. And it doesn’t look like the fight for paid leave will stop in 2022. Already we’ve seen heard from candidates who name paid leave as a priority issue or who have a history of supporting paid leave.
While we keep an eye on potential local, state, and national candidates for the 2022 election and wait on the Senate to vote on the Build Back Better Act, we’ll continue to be vocal about the need for paid leave for all. Connect with NC Family Cares Coalition members to find out what they’re doing to support the fight for paid leave locally and alongside national partners and join our North Carolina Paid Leave Action Network (NC PLAN) to receive updates on the fight for paid leave and participate in our calls to action.