PUMP was excited to join the Family Care Act coalition in Harrisburg on January 28th for the Senate Labor & Industry Committee’s public hearing on the Family Care Act – bipartisan, bicameral legislation for paid family and medical leave insurance.
Thank you so much to Labor & Industry’s majority chair, Senator Bartolotta, and minority chair, Senator Tartaglione, for hosting the hearing and elevating this important issue. Thank you also to the Family Care Act’s Senate co-sponsors, Senator Maria Collett and Senator Dan Laughlin, for putting this bill forward on behalf of working families.
The hearing was a huge step forward for the Family Care Act. Now, we need your support to make the Family Care Act a reality.
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During a press conference following the hearing, coalition members spoke in support of the Family Care Act. Brian Magee, PUMP CEO, spoke about how many young families find themselves in the “sandwich generation,” needing paid leave to support both young children and aging parents. And while paid leave is highly sought after by millenials, the legislation makes sense for employees at all stages of life, as well as for small business owners.
Other coalition supporters reminded us of the many different ways the Family Care Act could improve the lives of Pennsylvanians.
Lula Defersha, Associate Director of New Voices for Reproductive Justice, reminded us that people of color, especially women of color, are significantly less likely to have access to paid leave.
Josie Badger, Founder of J. Badger Consulting and Organizer, shared her experience of caring for her changing medical needs as a person with a disability. She reminded us that time is “our only nonrenewable resource,” and paid family and medical leave gives people the gift of time when it is needed most.
We are so grateful to the entire Family Care Act coalition for their tireless efforts to support working families. As they echoed throughout their remarks, today was an exciting step – but we still have a long way to go, and we need your help to get there.