Baldwin Seeks Fairness for All Families

Baldwin Seeks Fairness for All Families

Introduces Bill to Include Part-time Workers in Family & Medical Leave Act

Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) today introduced in the House of Representatives the Family Fairness Act (H.R. 6029), legislation that would expand the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to include part-time workers who have been employed for at least twelve months by their employer.

"I purposefully chose a time around Mother's Day to reintroduce this bill, because the deficiencies in our current FMLA are particularly harmful to working women, many of whom are the mothers of young children or the daughters of elderly parents," noted Congresswoman Baldwin.

Currently, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to full-time employees to care for their newborn or newly-adopted child, or a seriously ill child, spouse, or parent. It also provides leave to temporarily disabled workers, including pregnant women. In addition, FMLA protects the continuation of group health insurance for the employee on the same basis as before they leave and protects the right to the same or an equivalent job when the leave ends. Unfortunately, the FMLA only covers employees who have worked at least 1,250 hours during the past year, which means that part-time workers are completely excluded.

"As it is now, the Family and Medical Leave Act provides a good and necessary benefit to some of our working families," said Congresswoman Baldwin. "It's imperative that we make those benefits available to all of our working families."

In 2007, almost 25 million people worked part-time and represented 16 percent of the workforce. Two-thirds of all part-time workers are women. Many of them have small children or are attending school full time and do not have any choice but to work fewer than 35 hours a week. "These workers should not lose their health insurance, or worse, their job, because they have to take care of a seriously ill child or parent," said Baldwin.
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Baldwin's legislation was applauded by advocacy groups. Linda Meric, Executive Director, 9to5, National Association of Working Women said, "9to5 applauds Rep. Tammy Baldwin's Family Fairness Act, which expands the FMLA to cover additional part-time employees who qualify." In a statement issued today, Meric urged lawmakers to, "Help make the FMLA fair for more part-time workers and protect their families by supporting the Family Fairness Act."

"Expanding the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to cover part-time workers is one of the most important things we can do to make our nation more family-friendly," said National Partnership for Women & Families President Debra L. Ness. "Millions of women work part-time and, as our economy struggles, the number of part-time workers will continue to grow. The Family Fairness Act will help part-time workers by making unpaid leave available to them when babies come or illness strikes. We thank Representative Baldwin for introducing and championing this bill, and pledge to do all we can to help pass it," Ness said.

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