Washington Examiner - Reps. Kevin Brady and Jackie Walorski: Build on the momentum for paid leave

Op-Ed

By Kevin Brady and Jackie Walorski

Families have been the biggest winners in the Trump economy, with more jobs and higher wages, particularly for women. But, working parents shouldn't have to choose between financial security and keeping their families strong. They should be able to do both.

That's why greater access to paid family leave is smart pro-family, pro-growth policy.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act created the family leave tax credit to encourage businesses of all sizes to offer paid leave policies tailored to their workers. Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee followed that up with the creation of the new baby savings provision in the bipartisan SECURE Act recently signed by President Trump that allows millions of parents to borrow from their savings plan to pay for expenses, including leave from work, for new babies and adoptions.

In December, Congress and Trump achieved one of their major priorities by extending 12 weeks of paid family leave to 2.1 million federal workers. And, of course, due to the GOP tax cuts, the average family of four in America keeps $2,000 more of their hard-earned dollars each year. Higher wages due to the strong economy have added another $4,000, and the doubling of the child tax credit has provided more than 39 million families with an average benefit of $2,200. All that makes it easier for families to pay for medicines, child care, and family leave.

House Republicans aren't stopping there. Recognizing that workers in many small- and medium-sized businesses have less access than workers in larger companies, we are developing a fresh approach to paid family leave that combines conservative free market values with individual choice to empower more businesses to offer tailored leave plans for their employees.

Paid leave has real benefits for families and businesses. In 63% of homes with children, all parents work. Paid family leave allows parents to balance the competing demands of work and family.

Currently, Washington is considering one-size-all paid family leave mandates on local businesses that hike taxes and permanently shrink paychecks for working parents. Those solutions won't work.

Republicans and Democrats should work together to increase the availability of paid leave without reducing families' economic independence, hurting small businesses, or interfering with employees and employers working together to design flexible solutions that fit them.

Without expensive mandates or higher payroll taxes, Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee are exploring incentives to encourage expansion of employer-provided paid leave through permanent extension of the employer-paid family and medical leave tax credit. We also know that, while 25% of workers in larger businesses have access to paid family leave, that's not the case with small- and mid-sized businesses that can't afford, financially or structurally, to offer formal paid leave benefits. For these small employers, increasing access to private insurance options could help defray costs.

Low-wage workers are also at a disadvantage and the least likely to have access to paid leave through an employer. That means taking on debt or putting off bills to cover lost wages after the birth of a new baby. Federal efforts should focus on low-income families, particularly families in at-risk communities where paid leave can contribute to better health for new mothers and their babies.

Not since enactment of the Family and Medical Leave Act in 1993 has there been such a focus on the importance of supporting new parents in that pivotal period of life after the birth or adoption of a new child.

Thanks to the leadership of the Trump administration, more Republicans are giving a serious look at proposals to expand access to paid family leave. The president was the first ever to include a paid leave proposal in his budget request and, during each of his State of the Union addresses, has called on Congress to come up with innovative solutions to help families.

In the new year, we're excited to partner with the Trump administration to continue the momentum and craft additional pro-family and pro-worker policies that strengthen communities across our country. Let's build on our economic progress and work together to find solutions that increase the availability of paid leave for families.

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