Time for Paid Leave: Program Highlights
Please join AAUW to learn more about the critical importance of Paid Leave legislation in Illinois and about how you can help to advocate for this bill in our state. This event is presented by AAUW Naperville Area and supported by AAUW-IL. Watch the award winning film Zero Weeks which uses personal stories to show the impact of unpaid leave from work in the US. This legislation will improve the lives of Illinois women, families and businesses.
Our esteemed speakers will discuss the need for paid leave, provide actions you can take to advocate, and answer your questions. The event included a screening of the thought-provoking film Zero Weeks and discussion with two distinguished panelists. View panelists’ presentations.
Robert Bruno
Professor and Director
Labor Education Program, Chicago
University of Illinois
Sarah Labadie
Associate Director of Policy
Women Employed
The United States is the only industrialized country WITHOUT a federal paid leave law. That’s right, ZERO WEEKS of paid leave is what the USA offers in comparison to other countries, some of which offer up to a year of paid leave.
While many of us may be familiar with the FMLA, which is unpaid, and the use of paid sick days for our own sickness or after childbirth, most workers do not have access to pay when they are not at work for their own illness, after childbirth or adoption, after their partner has a child, or when they must care for a family member. Thus, unpaid workplace interruptions frequently occur, disproportionately impacting women. The consequence of these interruptions over time and in the aggregate contributes to the ongoing gender-based pay gap.
A plethora of research exists to show that Paid Leave legislation benefits families, children, employers, and, importantly, helps to reduce the gender-based pay gap.
Illinois Senate Bill 835, the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act, sponsored by Senator Villivalam, has been introduced into the 102nd General Assembly in Illinois. This comprehensive paid leave bill has the buy-in of many important constituencies in the state. The time is now to pass this important bill in Illinois and have our state join the nine other US States and the District of Columbia with a paid leave law in place while we await legislation at the federal level.