For $45, you can get some cool Father's Day gifts: a grilling set, a Swiss army knife and even some baby carriers. But consider this: for 45 cents per week, New York fathers could have something far more precious — paid family leave.
A bill to establish a state paid family leave insurance program made headway in New York this year. This bill would provide workers in New York state with up to 12 weeks of paid leave per year to bond with a new child, care for a seriously ill family member or address certain issues arising from military service. If this program is adopted, workers would receive two-thirds of their average weekly wage while on leave, up to a cap. The benefit would be financed solely through employee payroll deductions of up to 45 cents per week.
The U.S. is an outlier on this issue. A 2014 International Labor Organization report found that out of 185 countries, only the United States and Papua New Guinea lack paid leave for new mothers under law. Paid paternity leave for fathers is also on the rise, with at least 71 countries guaranteeing it.
The U.S. Family and Medical Leave Act enables workers with new children or family members with serious medical conditions to take unpaid leave, but about 40 percent of the workforce is not covered. There is no national law on paid family leave.
Despite this federal gap, states are starting to craft their own paid family leave insurance programs, with great success. California, New Jersey, and Rhode Island now have paid family leave programs, funded by small worker payroll contributions. A few states, including New York, offer temporary disability insurance programs.
In states without such programs, paid family leave is up to the whim of employers. Only 12 percent of U.S. private industry workers have paid family leave benefits.
Research shows that family leave insurance is good for employers, the economy, public health and equality. In a 2011 survey on the California program, most employers reported that paid family leave had a positive effect or no noticeable effect on productivity, profitability, turnover and employee morale.
In sum, if you're looking for a good gift for Father's Day, start by backing paid family leave.
