A “Day of Action” For Paid Family & Medical Leave
Her Safety Net participated in a “Day of Action” at the Maine State House on Tuesday, Feb. 7, to lobby for a statewide mandate on paid family leave in Maine. The well-organized event was spearheaded by Maine People’s Alliance, which has spent the last 40 years advancing important social justice issues in the state.
I was fortunate to be able to attend the event and address the gathering. I traveled to Augusta with a coalition of likeminded individuals and organizations, including HSN partner agency YWCA Central Maine, to help advance this important cause. In Augusta, we gathered in the lobby of the Burton Cross Office Building at the state capitol for a press conference and speeches.
As a little background, the U.S. lags far behind the rest of the world in mandating paid family and medical leave. About 30 years ago, the federal government approved unpaid family leave, but efforts to pass national legislation for paid leave have failed. In the meantime, just 11 states have enacted paid family leave. We hope that this year Maine will join that small but growing group who are leading the way with statewide mandates for paid leave.
In my remarks during the Day of Action, I emphasized how important having a paid leave policy would be to those dealing with domestic violence and gender-based violence. An excerpt from my speech is posted below.
It is time to pass a paid family and medical leave policy that will benefit everyone in Maine.
Someone experiencing domestic violence would get time off from work to figure out what to do, who to contact and where to go — without worrying about putting food on the table, or losing their job. They would have time to see a doctor — if they needed to — and to heal.
For many, missing even one day’s pay isn’t an option. But sometimes we need time off to recover, so we can come back stronger. Paid leave would build stronger work environments for everyone.
I have a personal story about why Maine needs paid family and medical leave. My family came to the U.S. when I was 16, and my mom began working at Wal-Mart as soon as she got her work permit. She worked there for seven years, but in April of last year she was injured on the job.
After two days off, the company told her she must return to work or lose her job — even after she provided a note from her doctor. … She had been injured several times at work before, but had never complained. … She needed to provide for her family.
This is an all too common story. … It doesn’t matter who you are, where you’re from or what you do for a living. … We know Mainers need and support a strong paid leave program, and the (Paid Family Leave) Commission has made strong recommendations to create such a program. Please join me in urging our lawmakers to enact the legislative commission’s recommendations and create a Paid Family & Medical Leave program that works for ALL Mainers.
Destie Hohman Sprague, executive director of the Maine Women’s Lobby, spoke about new mothers having to return to work before they are ready.
From left: me (Amina Hassan, Her Safety Net executive director); Amanda Hatch, YWCA Central Maine’s chief program and impact officer; Carrie Jadud, Maine People’s Alliance community organizer