PL+US praises Biden's "history-making" paid leave proposal in American Families Plan as "a watershed moment for working families across the U.S."

PL+US praises Biden's "history-making" paid leave proposal in American Families Plan as "a watershed moment for working families across the U.S."

During tonight’s joint session of Congress, President Biden will unveil the American Families Plan, which includes the first federal paid family and medical leave program proposed in legislation by a U.S. President. The White House shared key details about the proposal earlier this morning.

Paid Leave for the U.S. (PL+US) interim Executive Director Molly Day made the following statement in response to President Biden’s introduction of a paid leave program in the American Families Plan:

“President Biden’s American Families Plan is a history-making step forward in the fight for paid family and medical leave and a watershed moment for working families across the U.S.

“Turning the page on decades of underinvestment in America’s working families, Biden is the first President to introduce a permanent paid leave program that extends parental, caregiving, and personal medical leave to every working person.”

“Sticking to the administration's campaign promise, this plan extends paid leave to millions of low wage working people in Black and Latinx communities who have previously lacked access to this policy the most, putting racial justice and economic equity at the center of our country’s post-COVID recovery. Paid leave will also be critical for counteracting the ‘she-cession’ that was worsened during the pandemic and ensuring that women can fully participate in the workforce.

“Critically, President Biden’s paid leave proposal successfully seizes the historic opportunity we have in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis to build the kind of equitable, durable, and family-friendly care infrastructure we need to both get people back to work and boost long-term economic growth.

“Thank you, President Biden, for your leadership on paid leave in this important moment. We look forward to working alongside you to pass the American Families Plan in Congress and deliver the comprehensive, inclusive, and equitable plan for paid family and medical leave that working families, businesses, and our economy need to thrive. Congress, it's now up to you to do your part.”

Last month, working with PL+US, more than 250 businesses large and small signed a joint letter urging national leaders to include paid leave in the upcoming recovery legislation. Just this past week, 17 state treasurers also joined the calls for federal paid leave.

PL+US is a part of the Paid Leave for All coalition that announced plans earlier this week to spend $6 million on a media and organizing campaign to support passage of permanent, national paid family and medical leave policy as a part of President Biden’s American Families Plan.