For small employers, it isn’t easy either. Take my friend Carlos who owns an inn and employs ten people. If one of his two housekeepers gets seriously ill, he can’t afford to pay her wages while she recovers while hiring a replacement worker and paying an additional wage to the new worker. He sees it as paying double, and in this economy, it’s simply not possible.

The way it stands today, employers are out there on their own, just like working families. When babies arrive or serious illness strikes, employees & employers are left alone to navigate work and family obligation. Too much is left up to circumstance or luck. That’s why we, as a society, need to recognize that the first ten weeks of a child’s life or in the most tragic cases, the last ten weeks of an aging parent’s life, are precious and should be treated with respect and dignity with no one worrying about their paycheck or their job. As a society, we can act together and support a family leave insurance program that would share the costs of continuing wages while workers take care of their families and themselves. This not only supports families, it supports workplaces, as well, through increased productivity after the leave is taken and increased loyalty among employees. Happy and healthy workers are the most productive.

To go back to Carlos’ concern about his housekeeper who gets seriously ill. He wouldn’t need to pay two sets of wages if Maine had a family leave insurance program. The program would pay his ill housekeeper while he paid her temporary replacement. He would no longer be faced with those impossible decisions: how do I support my workers when it’s just too expensive? Family leave insurance is good for employers.

Policy advocates and employers both want the same things – a healthy and productive economy where small business prospers and working families have a fair chance at prosperity. A family leave insurance program can help get us there.

So, I started asking around … and here are some reflections from the women of the Maine Women’s Lobby:

Director of Public Policy, Laura Harper, and some of her lobbyists cohorts.

Here’s what Laura had to say:

I feel certain that my experiences lobbying for marriage equality will never be matched. Every day, I came out to legislators. I shared with them my commitment for my partner, Lauren, our engagement, and the fears and discrimination I have faced during our partnership because we can’t get married.

It was a rush. It was exhausting. It was scary. It was joyful.

When the Governor signed the bill into law, I was waiting with other advocates outside his office. When a member of his staff discreetly stuck her head around the door and whispered, “He signed it,” I knew I was a part of Maine history. I knew it would be a moment I would never forget, similar to when President Obama was elected or when we finally passed the anti-discrimination law in Maine.

I will return to that moment again and again. There will always be a part of me that will never age, there will always be a young woman standing there in her little suit with her sweaty armpits and rumpled tissue thinking, “Oh my God, we’ve actually won.”

Here’s Sarah, our Executive Director:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here’s Kim Simmons, one of our board members:

The highlight of the 124th Legislative session, for me, was the passage of the Marriage Equality Bill!  I am impressed with the cooperation that emerged in the 124th Legislature and with the fact that our leadership is female. Nevertheless, I was disappointed not to see more radical and progressive action taken to redistribute wealth in our state, to protect the poor, and to address the absence of paid sick leave which creates both the potential for a public health crisis and family emergencies on daily basis. It seems to me that we have a unique moment to truly push for tax policy that is rooted in social justice priorities and reflects the interests of most Maine people, and I hope that more progressive and innovative thinking will emerge in the second session of the 124th!

Charlotte at the State House

And, here’s what I think:

So, when I think back on the 124th session of the Maine Legislature, my first thought is, “phew … it’s over.” And don’t get me wrong, I love the excitement of the session. I love the exhilaration of the wins – and the opportunity of the losses. And, I guess in a lot of ways I would describe this past session as a roller-coaster ride – we were up, we were down, we were recessed, we were tabled … Oh yeah, I was paying attention to the play-by-play afforded to us by Laura, her Blackberry, and Twitter … and I was addicted! Check out our newsletter archive to review the roller-coaster ride.

So, enough about us. What do you think? Add your reflections today.

PS: Yes, “phew” is actually a word. It’s in the dictionary and everything.

Thanks everyone,

Charlotte

Among them: American Cancer Society, Disability Rights Center, Equality Maine, League of Young Voters, Legal Services for the Elderly, Mabel Wadsworth Women’s Health Center, Maine Center for Economic Policy, Maine Centers for Work and Community, Maine Children’s Alliance, Maine Civil Liberties Union, Maine Employment Lawyers Association, Maine Equal Justice Partners, Maine State Employees Association/SEIU, Maine State Nurses Association, Maine Women’s Health Campaign, Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, Women’s Law Section of the Maine State Bar…

Each have joined with the Maine Women’s Lobby to pass this much needed protection. The bottom line is that workers with family responsibilities (and that’s a lot of us!) shouldn’t fear discrimination on the job. While Maine law protects women who are preparing to welcome a new child into the world, there is no state or federal law to protect workers who have children or are caring for aging parents. As a result, you can be fired to refused promotion, simply based on *assumptions* that you have too many obligations at home.

It’s time to update our workplace standards to the needs of 21st century families. Join us in calling for the House of Representatives to pass L.D. 962. Please call your Representative at home, or call the State House and leave a message asking him or her to support the majority “Ought to Pass as Amended” committee report for An Act to Protect Family Caregivers. Just dial 800-423-2900 or contact us at info@mainewomen.org if you want help.

Thank you!

The Women’s Leadership Action Coalition is a group of 20+ organizations advocating for women and girls. Among those represented today: Maine Centers for Women, Work, and Community, Maine Equal Justice, Maine Women’s Lobby and Maine Women’s Policy Center, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, Maine Civil Liberties Union, Mabel Wadsworth Women’s Health Center, Business and Professional Women, AAUW, League of Women Voters, Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault, and more!

Corporate Voices for Working Families is the leading national business membership organization representing the private sector on public and corporate policy issues involving working families. A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, improving the lives of working families by developing and advancing innovative policies that reflect collaboration among the private sector, government and other stakeholders.

Collectively their 50 partner companies, with annual net revenues of more than $1 trillion, employ more than 4 million individuals throughout all 50 states. 

Mrs. Obama gave a compelling speech (video below) commending the corporate partners and their business practices “giving employees flexibility and much needed support.” 

Click here to view the embedded video.

“This research is critical to empowering employers,” Mrs. Obama said.  ”This isn’t just about family balance it also makes workplaces stronger and more effective.”

Investing in these family supportive policies pays off for employers more than they may realize which, might explain, why the private, money making sector – caught on to the trend.

The case is the first out of Maine to deal with a relatively new area of employment discrimination law, which is based on the stereotype that mothers of young children neglect their jobs in favor of child-care issues.

This same area of discrimination is the subject of state legislation proposed by the Maine Women’s Lobby. The bill proposes that “family caregiver” be added to the list of groups protected under anti-discrimination law.