FL Given "D" Grade For Policies That Support New And Expecting Parents In The Workforce

Posted

working mom

Florida - Florida has been given a "D" grade for failing to adopt workplace policies that help expecting and new parents who are employed.

The new state-by-state study, released just 2 days before the 23rd anniversary of the day the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) took effect, shows that few states have expanded on the unpaid leave protections provided by the FMLA or adopted other relevant policies.

The study was conducted by the National Partnership for Women & Families and grades all 50 states and Washington DC based on laws that have been passed offering greater leave or workplace protections than federal law provides.

California is the only state given an "A," DC and New York were given "A-," and 11 states were given a "B" grade. 10 states got "C," 15 states got a "D" (including FL), and 12 states were given an "F" grade for failing to enact any workplace policies to help new and expecting parents.

“Despite some meaningful progress, too many working families in this country struggle at the very time they should be focused on giving children their best possible starts in life. Twenty-three years after the country took its first major step to help people manage job and family by implementing a national unpaid family and medical leave law, our new study reveals that people in too few states are guaranteed access to paid leave and other workplace protections they urgently need,” said Debra L. Ness, president of the National Partnership, which drafted and led the fight for the FMLA. “At this time when women are both caregivers and breadwinners, and when voters want and need supportive workplace policies, too many lawmakers are letting them down. America’s families expect and deserve much better.”

Ness says women make up almost half of the country's workforce and 68% of children live in households in which all of their parents work.

“Our new study shows that progress is possible, and it is wonderful that some states are showing real leadership by establishing standards that provide vitally important help to workers and families while helping pave the way for national change,” explained National Partnership Vice President Vicki Shabo. “But sadly, most states are not doing nearly enough. People’s ability to meet the dual demands of job and family should not depend on where they live or work or what job they hold. Lawmakers at all levels and in every part of the country should commit to strengthening existing family friendly policies and adopting new ones, and pressing for federal laws that will benefit all workers, families, and businesses while strengthening our economy.”

The US is one of only a handful of countries among 185 surveyed by the International Labor Organization that do not guarantee paid leave. 183 other countries guarantee paid maternity leave and 79 guarantee paid paternity leave. It's also the only wealthy country that doesn't provide paid maternity leave.

The state grades were determined by reviewing overlapping public policies designed to help new parents in every state. Researchers took into consideration laws that governed both private and public sector employees.

"For all of the families and individuals in Florida and other places that are interested in seeing their legislatures do more... there are a few things that can be done," said  Sarah Fleisch-Fink, Director of Workplace Policy and Sr. Council at the National Partnership for Women and Families. "Advocating in the state for better policies by having your voice heard on these issues like paid sick days and paid leave, as well as advocating at the federal level for federal changes so that workers across the country have access to these types of rights and protections."

According to Fink, there are several bills currently pending in Congress on these issues like the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act (national paid family and medical leave bill), the Healthy Families Act (paid sick days bill), and the Pregnant Worker Fairness Act (pregnancy accommodations bill). Fink went on to say, "we encourage voices all over the country to be heard on these bills and these issues."

Expecting Better: A State-by-State Analysis of Laws That Help Expecting and New Parents is a comprehensive analysis of state laws and regulations that govern paid leave and other workplace rights for new and expecting parents in the US.

For a brief history of the FMLA, click here.

Workforce participation and demographic data for every state in the US, and DC, can be found here.

Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2016.