Congresswoman Sarah McBride introduces a bipartisan proposal to revise part of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.
McBride’s bill, co-sponsored by Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, would make a fix to the 32-year-old law. As it stands now, FMLA gives people who work for an organization with more than 50 employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to welcome a child or care for a family member. Workers who use FMLA leave don’t have to worry about losing their jobs.
But, if two spouses work at the same employer, they have to share that 12 weeks of FMLA leave. McBride’s bill aims to change that.
“It guarantees that all FMLA covered workers are able to take the full amount of job-entitled leave that they are entitled to - and that they deserve - regardless of whether spouses work for the same employer or not," she said.
McBride says the issue her bill seeks to fix is especially prevalent outside big cities.
“Particularly if you live in small towns or or rural areas where it's not uncommon for there just to be one big employer in your area, it's not uncommon for a married couple to both work at the same place," McBride said.
McBride notes that more than 120,000 Delawareans are unpaid caregivers putting in over 108 million hours of unpaid care each year.
“It gives them a little bit more peace of mind because at the end of the day, no worker should have to choose between their job and caring for a family member," she said. "This bill brings us one step closer to that reality.”
This bill in the US House is a continuation of work McBride did as a Delaware State Senator. Among her accomplishments in the Delaware Senate was spearheading the passage of a law creating a statewide family leave program.
McBride’s bill, the FAIR Leave Act, now awaits a hearing in a House committee.
