Politics
AS the pandemic worsens, the new Congress will face calls to help those for whom caregiving leads to poverty.
People need care. Children, parents, spouses. And at some point, nearly everybody will be called upon to give it. But only 60% of the U.S. workforce is eligible for paid family leave. Women, workers of color and those with disabilities benefit least.
Unpaid time off can send low-income workers spiraling into poverty – or deepen it. When the 117th Congress meets on Jan. 3, 2021, the battle over attempts to improve the system at the federal level will resume, likely with legislation similar to the Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act that was introduced in 2019. In this National Press Foundation online briefing, experts will present data on U.S. family leave policies, explore the links between unpaid leave and poverty, and help journalists analyze proposed legislative remedies.
The speakers are Wendy Chun-Hoon, executive director, Family Values @ Work Indivar Dutta-Gupta, co-executive director, Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality.
– Nov. 30, 2020 @ 17:47 GMT /
Tags: The coming battle over paid Family Leave holds Wednesday
