Coalition to promote paid family leave this week at Maine State House

The Maine Paid Leave Coalition will host a “day of action” Tuesday at the State House to mark the 30th anniversary of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act and promote a Maine bill that’s expected to be submitted in the Legislature this month.

A state commission made up of legislators, experts and activists also is expected to release formal recommendations this month calling for a paid family and medical leave system that benefits all Mainers. Support for a paid leave measure has grown since Democrats have retained control of the House, Senate and Blaine House.

Family and medical leave typically is funded by a payroll tax charged to employers and employees. It allows people to take paid time off for the birth of a child or to care for a sick or aging relative.

Nationally, only 20% of private sector workers have access to paid family leave through an employer and only 42% have access to short-term disability insurance. Nearly one in four employed mothers return to work within two weeks of giving birth and one in five retirees leave the workforce earlier than planned to care for an ill family member.

The liberal advocacy group Maine People’s Alliance and the Maine Women’s Lobby collected more than 80,000 petition signatures to get a referendum on paid family leave before Maine voters, but they decided to forgo putting the issue on the November ballot because of the pending legislation.