Albany, NY – In response to the news that President Biden and federal level House and Senate negotiators are gutting federal paid leave proposals in Build Back Better, Jess Wisneski, Co-Executive Director of Citizen Action of New York, released the following statement:
“The news that negotiations in Washington DC are whittling down the paid leave proposal to only 4 weeks is a devastating blow to working families. In the middle of a pandemic with more than 45 million people infected, 750,000 deaths and millions needing paid leave and childcare to return to work, paid leave is a key solution to ensuring everyone can live with dignity and keep themselves and their loved ones healthy.
A permanent program, with 12 weeks of paid leave, and a guarantee that workers will have a job to return to, will finally put our nation on par with the other 185 countries across the world who take care of their families and workers this way even before a deadly pandemic hit. Without paid leave, families and our economy will continue to spiral into the depths of runaway inequality and hardship we currently face.
This comes down to Democrats in Washington choosing between their constituents and the big corporations who have profited hand over fist during a pandemic while our children have gone hungry and unhoused. It’s time for Congress to deliver for the people. Paid leave is vital to the health, safety and recovery of our country.
All New York Members of Congress must act now to publicly demand paid leave be included in Build Back Better in a way that works for families of every shape and size.”