We Made Rhode Island the Third State with Paid Leave. It’s Time for the Rest of the Country to Join Us
Dispatches from the Paid Leave For All Bus Tour: Providence, Rhode Island
Blog Post
Aug. 3, 2021
From August 2-13, 2021, Paid Leave for All will be rolling through 14 stops in 10 states to share and hear stories from workers and businesses, to celebrate state successes, and to amplify the need for paid family and medical leave for all working people and families in the United States. Read more about the 2021 Paid Leave For All Bus Tour here.
Providence, RI, Aug. 2 — In 2001, I had two experiences that transformed my life: I broke my back and I became a mom. Within the span of a few months, I learned just how much our nation’s policies failed people who need time to heal, time to care for others, and time to adjust to a new way of living. So, I started organizing.
I met with parents and local leaders. I met with state legislators. I was appointed to a legislative commission. I eventually joined a team of women participating in the Rhode Island Women’s Policy Institute. Together, we started pushing for Rhode Island to follow California and New Jersey’s lead and pass paid family leave.
And then I ran for office. I came to the statehouse determined to make paid family leave a reality in Rhode Island. Others shared my vision, and our coalition continued to grow. We had parents who were active at RI Parent Information Network share their stories — of what it means to provide care to a child who has long-term needs. We had members of SEIU and AARP call their legislators, doctors talking about their patients. Women’s Fund of Rhode Island, RI Kids Count, and the Economic Progress Institute shared data. And we had small businesses talking about how they wanted paid leave for their employees.
In 2013, in my first year in office, we made paid family leave happen. Rhode Island became the third state to have paid family leave and the first in our nation to ensure people would not have to fear losing their jobs if they took time to care for a loved one. I was elated but knew there was so much more to do. So, I continued fighting for a more equitable leave in Rhode Island, including increasing the amount of wages people receive and the family members they can care for. But I also know what we have in Rhode Island, people need across this country.
Once we passed paid family leave in Rhode Island, I used my expertise as a policy analyst and an organizer to help a network of activists across the country pass paid leave in their states. I eventually joined the staff of Family Values @ Work, a national network of over two dozen state-based coalitions fighting for paid leave, sick time, and child care. Momentum was building for paid leave, and Family Values @ Work used our grassroots movement to help propel the passage of paid leave in seven more states.
Our nation is sorely lacking in laws that ensure people can take paid time to care for themselves and their loved ones. The Family and Medical Leave Act, FMLA, was signed into law in 1993. It provides some people the opportunity to take unpaid time. Millions are not covered by that law, and millions more cannot afford to take the leave they need if it’s unpaid.
We’ll win a national paid family and medical leave, just the way we won it in Rhode Island — by advocates, elected leaders, parents, doctors, and business owners all working together. That’s what this bus tour is all about — sharing the stories of people throughout our nation who need leave, and the strength of our movement.
It has been an extraordinary journey for me as I look back on the past twenty years. My tiny baby boy is now in college, thousands of Rhode Islanders have used paid leave, and millions of people are covered by similar paid leave in other states. We are now on the cusp of winning national paid leave that recognizes all families, provides enough income so people can afford leave, and guarantees enough time to heal and care for others.
I am thrilled that the Paid Leave for All bus tour kicked off here in Rhode Island, and am thankful for all those who joined us, especially Congressman Cicilline and Congressman Langevin. Our entire federal delegation has been long-standing supporters of better policies for working families, including paid leave. Paid leave has changed the lives of Rhode Islanders across this state. Our Senators and Congressmembers now have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to pass a national paid leave that is robust and inclusive so everyone — no matter where they live, who they love, or where they work, can take the time that they need. Let’s make history happen!
Visit PaidLeaveforAll.org and follow Paid Leave for All on Instagram and Twitter for more information on the bus tour and on ways to get involved in winning paid family and medical leave for all.
The views and opinions expressed by the authors of this series are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of New America.