Issue Position: Support Working Families

Issue Position

Joe has consistently led and delivered results in Washington state to ensure working families have economic opportunity. There is much more work to do in our country and Congress must step up to pass legislation to create an equitable economy across our country that lifts up all Americans.

"Paid family leave gives new families a healthy start, prevents employees from having to choose between earning a paycheck and taking care of an ill loved one, and enhances gender equity in the workplace and the home." -- Joe McDermott, April 27, 2015

Joe has delivered

*Sponsored and passed King County's Best Starts for Kids levy, which is the most comprehensive approach to early child development and community support in the nation supporting children and their families from prenatal support through their teenage years.

*Joe was one of the first elected officials to endorse and campaign for SeaTac's first in the nation $15 minimum wage effort.

*Delivered Paid Parental Leave, and is working on expanding to full Paid Family Leave, for all King County Employees to serve as a model for other employers in the region.

*Sponsored and passed legislation allowing Childcare Providers, and then Homecare Workers, to organize and bargain collectively with the State which meant thousands of workers have been able to improve their wages and working conditions.

The plan for Congress

*Pass Paid Sick and Safe Leave, and Paid Family Leave for all Americans.

Only 13% of workers have access to paid family leave, and 43 million Americans lack a single paid sick day to recover from the common cold. America is woefully behind the rest of the industrialized world in providing these basic protections for workers that benefit families and businesses.

*Raise the Federal minimum wage and pass Senator Murray's "Raise the Wage" act, which would benefit 19.6 million wage-earning women, 35% of African American workers and 38% of Hispanic workers.

*Pass the Paycheck Fairness Act and ensure that women receive equal pay for equal work in the United States.

*Support and protect the right for workers to organize and bargain collectively.

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