Top House Democrat unveils plan to establish universal paid family and medical leave programs

April 27, 2021

Top House Democrat unveils plan to establish universal paid family and medical leave programs

Top House Democrat Richard Neal introduced a plan for universal paid sick and medical leave on Tuesday.
The typical worker would get around two-thirds of their past wages replaced.
Progressives are urging Biden to prioritize paid leave programs as part of his latest economic plan.
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Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, introduced a plan for universal paid sick and medical leave on Tuesday.

The proposal would set up 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave for every worker in the US, calculating benefits based on average monthly earnings. The typical worker would get two-thirds of their wages replaced, though it covers up 85% of a worker's earnings below $1,257. Higher-paid workers are set at lower wage replacement rates.

"For our economy to fully recover from this pandemic, we must finally acknowledge that workers have families, and caregiving responsibilities are real," Neal said in a statement to Insider. "By acting on this plan, we will rebuild our society to be better and stronger than ever before."

It would take effect at the start of 2023, an apparent recognition of the difficulties of setting up a robust paid leave initiative. Benefits would be distributed through employers, the Treasury Department, and state paid leave programs. It also makes permanent a monthly check program for parents, a top Democratic priority.

Currently, the US stands alone among developed nations for not federally mandating a paid sick leave program. Such a measure was scrapped as part of President Joe Biden's stimulus. A vast collection of progressive groups as well as 17 state treasurers are now urging Biden, along with Congress, to approve comprehensive leave programs.

The pandemic underscored the lack of affordable childcare as rising costs collided with the shuttering of daycare centers, disproportionately impacting women and compelling many to quit their jobs.

A recent report from the National Women's Law Center and the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia University said 2.3 million women dropped out of the workforce due to the crisis, compared to 1.8 million men.

Neal's measure comes as Biden prepares to unveil the second part of his infrastructure plan, largely directed at ratcheting up government spending on families as a product of childcare and education initiatives. The Washington Post reported it will contain $225 billion for child care funding and $200 billion to establish universal Pre-K.

The latest proposal will be funded with tax increases on the wealthiest Americans, including a new capital gains tax on the top 0.3%.

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