Global Companies, Small Business Owners Join Together to Support a National Paid Leave Policy

Businesses to show support for Paid Leave during Businesses for Paid Leave Week of Action; Use voices and platforms to convey the urgency and opportunity of this moment

This week during Businesses for Paid Leave Week of Action businesses from around the country will join together to show support for a federal paid family and medical leave policy. Over the course of the week, businesses will participate in meetings with key members of Congress, engage in social media activations, and be available for select media opportunities.

Supporting businesses and executives include Danone North America, Diageo, Eventbrite, Levi Strauss & Co., Patagonia, Paypal, Rent the Runway, ThirdLove, Stitch Fix, and small businesses from across the country.

In recent months there has been a groundswell of momentum and growing support for a broad investment in care infrastructure including a federal paid leave policy, including:

Over 1,400 small businesses across the country have signed on to support paid leave, working with Main Street Alliance and members of the Small Business for Paid Leave Coalition.
More than 270 business -- including Atlassian, Danone North America, Diageo, Eventbrite, Levi Strauss & Co., Mailchimp, Patagonia, Patreon, Rent the Runway, Salesforce, Spotify, and Stitch Fix -- signed an open letter organized by PL+US publicly calling on Congress to include paid family and medical leave in upcoming federal legislation focused on creating jobs and long-term economic growth.
More than 200 companies have joined the TIMES UP Care Economy Business Council including Hello Sunshine, JP Morgan, Lyft, McDonalds, Paypal, Uber, and Verizon.

The supporting businesses recognize the strong business case for providing paid family and medical leave, in addition to a moral and societal case. Companies with a paid leave policy have found increased productivity and improved employee morale and retention. Moreover, a nationwide paid family and medical leave program would allow smaller businesses to compete with larger businesses, which is why the majority of small businesses support the policy.

The support of businesses for paid leave is matched by support of communities across the country. While only 21% of working people in the U.S. have access to paid family leave through their employers, the policy is supported by 83% of the American public. Evidence from states and districts with paid leave policies demonstrate that when accessible and equitable paid leave policies are in place they can support working families, public health and businesses alike.

Businesses for Paid Leave Week of Action is being organized in partnership with PL+US (Paid Leave for the U.S.), the National Partnership for Women & Families, Times Up, Main Street Alliance, and Paid Leave for All.