We’re Advocating for Paid Maternity Leave in the U.S
Did you know that the United States is the only industrialized country that DOES NOT have a required federal paid leave policy in place? This includes a lack of paid maternity, paternity, or parental leave at the national level. Now more than ever, it is crucial that we use our voices to encourage Congress to advocate for American families in the way that they know they can.
You may be thinking that your employer has a great family leave policy and there’s no reason for you to fight for something that you already have. Unfortunately, many Americans are not as lucky as you may be. Many employees are at the mercy of employer policies because the federal government does not require employers to give paid family leave time.
As a result of this, 1 in 3 Americans lack access to a single day of paid leave to care for themselves or their loved ones. That’s 113 million people, overwhelmingly women, communities of color, and low-wage working families. 1 in 4 women go back to work 2 weeks after giving birth to a child. This isn’t healthy and it’s not right for women to feel forced to go back to work or suffer financially. (PL+US)
Maternity leave has a positive impact on the mental and physical health of both Mom and baby. LINEE Network cites experts that correlate longer maternity leave periods with:
- reduced infant mortality rates
- lowered illness and hospitalization rates,
- comprehensively improved women’s health
Even if some Moms have maternity leave, they find that the allotted time off that their employers have provided them is not nearly long enough. They feel they need to use their PTO time to extend maternity leave whether they want more time to bond with their baby, are struggling with PPD, or experienced labor complications. It’s unacceptable that Moms have to use their own PTO time for maternity leave because the system is flawed and no laws to protect her are in place. For the benefit of Mom and baby, it’s time to take a stand and press Members of Congress to join other industrialized countries in offering paid family leave.
We’ve never been just a subscription box company. We are advocates for Moms of every race, socioeconomic status, and cultural background. We put Moms first and we believe that the United States should start doing the same. Paid family leave shouldn’t be a luxury, it should be afforded to all working employees who need it.
Today, we are encouraging you to step out of your normal role and advocate alongside us. Please, join us here in advocating for fellow Moms by reaching out to your Members of Congress and asking them to prioritize paid maternity leave.