Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) today praised the Labor Committee’s vote to draft Senate Bill 1, “An Act Concerning Earned Family and Medical Leave,” the first procedural hurdle needed to pass earned family and medical leave into law.
Once again, passing an earned family and medical leave law is one of the top priorities of Democratic state senators this year.
“Today marks the first step toward Connecticut passing a strong earned family medical leave law,” said Senator Looney. “Working families should not have to face the prospect of economic ruin when presented with serious family needs such as caring for a newborn, a spouse, or their parents. The inability of employees to take paid time off to care for loved ones or themselves can leave them with no choice but to abandon family members in their time of need, or to neglect their own health.”
Because it is so necessary and beneficial to our modern workforce, Democrats will work with employees and employers to fight for sensible earned family medical leave legislation.
“The United States is well behind the rest of the world when it comes to earned family medical leave policies,” said Senator Duff. “In fact, Papua New Guinea and the United States are the only countries in the world without paid family leave. If Connecticut wants to retain young people, attract top talent and grow the middle-class, passing an earned family medical leave bill will give Connecticut a competitive advantage and send a message that our state values its workers and is a great place to live and raise a family.”