For far too long, countless Mainers have been forced to make the impossibly difficult choice between taking time away from work to care for themselves or a loved one, and continuing to work so that they can financially provide for their families.

It’s a dilemma faced by Mainers with an aging parent requiring long-term care who can’t afford the services they need, and one faced by those who want to start a family, but can’t take time off to be with their newborn or adopted child.

It’s a dilemma faced  by those with a spouse or child who has been diagnosed with a serious illness, and those who have been diagnosed themselves.

And it’s a dilemma my husband and I faced years ago when my mother’s health began to deteriorate.

The United States is the only developed country in the world without a national paid family and medical leave policy, leaving it up to state legislatures to piece together solutions. There are currently only 11 states that offer PFML for their residents.

This year, we have the potential in Maine to join their ranks — a transformational opportunity that would support our working families, benefit businesses, reduce financial insecurity and improve our state’s overall health and well-being.

In 2021, the Maine Legislature created the Commission to Develop a Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Program to determine the best way to implement an equitable and inclusive policy in our state. We studied existing programs in other states to help determine what solution would best fit here, received input from Maine workers and businesses and considered different funding sources and structures.

From this work, we recommended several models for the Legislature to consider. These include programs with a benefit ranging between 12 and 16 weeks, with employees receiving somewhere between 80% to 90% of their pay while taking leave. Both employers and employees would contribute to fund the cost of the program, with a contribution rate ranging between a 25/75% and a 50/50% split between them, respectively.

Businesses with less than 15 workers would be exempt from participating, although they maintain the option to enroll.

While the Legislature will debate the best path forward for a potential program in the coming months, one thing remains clear: the need for PFML is vital. Nationally, around 80%  of private sector workers did not have access to paid leave as of 2020. Here in Maine, only about 35% of workers even have access to job-protected unpaid leave, meaning they still must choose between losing income and taking care of their individual or family’s health. PFML would improve workers’ well-being by empowering them to take the time they need to heal when they’re sick or to care for a loved one.

PFML would also have immense benefits for Maine businesses and our state’s economy. Studies have shown that these policies boost worker productivity and improve employee retention. They also increase labor force participation, which has been declining in Maine in recent years. Maine’s participation rate remains below the U.S. and New England averages, and PFML can help to reverse this trend.

Additionally, a PFML program would provide critical support for families with young children and older adults. Allowing parents to spend time with their newborns or recently adopted children has been shown to improve maternal health, childhood outcomes and family economic security.

Here in Maine, the oldest state in the nation, there are many older adults suffering from chronic conditions requiring long-term care. Often, this falls to family members. PFML would permit workers to care for their loved ones, reducing the recovery time from health complications and decreasing the need for services such as hospital stays and nursing home admissions.

This session, we have a momentous opportunity in the Legislature to enhance Maine’s care infrastructure. A statewide PFML program would support our working families, make our economy more competitive and set us on a better path to improved health and well-being, both now and well into the future.

We can’t afford to pass it up.

Rep. Kristen Cloutier of Lewiston is the assistant House majority leader and is serving her third consecutive term in the Maine House of Representatives. She represents House District 94, which includes part of Lewiston.