Time to Make Family Leave Affordable

August 5th marks the 17th anniversary of the implementation of the Family and Medical Leave Act – when federal law for the first time acknowledged that having a family shouldn’t cost workers their job.

Sadly, for too many people in this country, taking a leave still costs too much. Nearly one in ten Americans have to go on public assistance while they’re on leave to care for a newborn or family member; for low-income families, that number is one in five. And nearly 3 million people a year who need to take leave don’t, because they just can’t afford to.

In these tough economic times, workers need paid family leave more than ever, but states simply don’t have the resources to cover the costs of computer systems and other expenses that come with launching new programs. Read the rest after the jump >>