White house celebrates 30th Anniversary of fmla as small BUSINESSES push for paid family and Medical leave

On February 2, 2023 Main Street Alliance Executive Director, Chanda Causer, and Policy Program Manager, Naomi Smith, attended the White House celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The Family and Medical Leave Act was first signed into law by former President Bill Clinton on February 5, 1993. The FMLA requires employers to provide employees with job-protected, unpaid leave for qualified medical and family reasons. To date, close to 463 million working people have used FMLA to take care of their own health or a family member. Speeches given by President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Former President Bill Clinton acknowledged the hard work it took to pass this bill, but there is still much to do.

While FMLA has helped many workers, nearly 44% of employees are not eligible for FMLA because they work for a small business. As we enter into the 118th Congress, it is imperative to pass a national paid family and medical leave program. Small business owners serve as the backbone of our country employing 62 million people. Workers across our country deserve the right to take care of themselves or loved ones in difficult times regardless of where they work. A permanent paid leave program levels the playing field for small businesses, both in accessing this important paid time and in the recruitment and retention of employees.

We are grateful for the FMLA and the families that it has helped. We look forward to new legislation like the Job Protection Act to expand and enhance the work of FMLA. We encourage you to send a letter to your elected leader and let them know you want investments in Paid Family Medical Leave now!