Advocating for Paid Family Leave

Connecticut Paid Family Leave Act
April 25, 2016

EY Research found that 38% of US millennials would move to another country with better paid parental leave benefits; and that 86% of US millennials are less likely to quit if paid parental leave is offered.

On Monday, April 18, FLY and WWN sponsored a presentation from the Connecticut Campaign for Paid Family Leave. If the Paid Family Leave Act passes in Connecticut this Spring, workers will be eligible to receive up to $1000 per week for 12 weeks. New parents and caregivers will be eligible for Paid Family Leave while they recover from a serious illness, care for ill family members, or bond with newborns, adopted children, or foster children. Department of Labor estimates that it will cost Connecticut workers half of a percent of pay to fund this measure. Since this would be an employee-funded plan managed by the state, it is beneficial for employees and businesses of all sizes, particularly for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and part time workers that don’t qualify for any paid leave otherwise.  

What can YOU do? 

1. Find out who is your representative and contact them to advocate for their vote to pass CT Paid Family Leave act. whoismyrepresentative.com This could be voted on any day now before May 4th.  

2. Do you know what your parental benefits are at Yale? M&P staff, faculty, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows can find out about leave policies on the Worklife Program website. Staff members of Local 34 and Local 35 should check the Leave of Absence provisions in the 2002 agreement and contact their union representative to advocate for Paid Family Leave at 203-624-5161 (Local 34) and 203-865-3259 (Local 35).

3. Look for a FLY Peer to Peer lunch coming up to share your stories of what has worked well and what you would like to be improved when it comes to Paid Family Leave and Flexible Time.  

Please share your stories with us by emailing at fly@yale.edu. You may also share your story at paidfamilyleavect.org/story-bank.