In reaction to reports of paid leave being cut from the Build Back Better Act, Oxfam America President and CEO, Abby Maxman and Marshall Plan for Moms CEO and Founder, Reshma Saujani issued the following statement:
“We are outraged and heartbroken at the prospect of paid leave being cut from the Build Back Better Act. The loss of this historic piece of legislation would be a glaring and shameful omission.
“That the US is one of only six countries in the world without paid leave is unconscionable. If Congress fails to include this measure, this means that we don’t value the workers who will be continuously forced to put their health and wellbeing or that of their loved ones on the line in order to keep their jobs. It means that as a country we continue to undervalue the care that new mothers and fathers should be entitled to give their newborns and that all workers should be able to give their loved ones.
“We cannot help but think that this reflects a bias against communities who need this mandate the most. Highest wage workers are three times as likely to have access to paid sick leave, while only 33% of the lowest wage workers have access to paid sick leave. The low-wage workforce is disproportionately women, Black and Brown workers, and immigrants and refugees. Denying this important right to these workers is denying the humanity of them and their families.
“Sen. Manchin specifically has suggested his objections to be largely procedural, saying "If we’re going to do it, do it right." We wholeheartedly agree - let's do this right instead of once again kicking the can down the road. Without paid leave, women will continue to be forced to return to work immediately after bearing children and workers will be unable to take paid leave to recover from a serious health condition or to care for loved ones.
“After a global pandemic threatened the security and wellbeing of millions of workers, we had the opportunity to stand up for them. Without paid leave, we fail them. It is a collective statement on what our nation values.
“While the new framework being proposed by President Biden signals hope for the kind of investments needed to help level the playing field for hard working families and protect our planet, the devil is in the details and we will continue to fight for the most ambitious proposals to be included in a final legislative package so that this once-in-a-generation opportunity is not missed.