Paid Family Leave Is Huge Unmet Need

In the United States, just 21% of civilian workers have access to paid family leave through their employer, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

As a result, many workers are forced to make hard decisions when it comes to balancing the demands of work life and home life. About 61% of employed caregivers in the U.S. say their jobs and careers have been impacted by their duties at home, with women being more likely than men to cut back their work hours, according to a 2020 report released by AARP. In fact, one in five caregivers with household incomes below $50,000 a year say they gave up work entirely or retired early in 2020 because of caregiving responsibilities.

The U.S. is the only industrialized nation without a federal paid family leave and medical leave policy. National Partnership for Women & Families (NPWF) to call on Congress to pass a comprehensive paid family and medical leave policy for all workers in the U.S.

“More than 10 million people in the U.S. cite caregiving as a reason they stopped working during the pandemic,” said Gates in a video released Thursday by NPWF. “Nobody should have to choose between caring for their family and their paycheck.”

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