Family and Medical Leave Act doesn’t do enough for mothers
During President Biden’s 2023 State of the Union address, he committed to enacting federal paid leave for all workers — a benefit considered a luxury in the United States, but common in much of the developed world. It reminded me of the birth of my daughter. In 2006, I made the decision to leave my full-time job at one of the largest amusement parks in Florida. Unbeknownst to me, I was pregnant. Had I been aware of my pregnancy, I would have stayed at my job at the amusement park working the graveyard shift to earn extra money.
I began working a part-time position that brought my total hourly pay to $8 an hour on a 30-hour work week. Needless to say, this restrictive, part-time schedule was not enough to pay my bills, so I decided to go back to college to earn my bachelor’s degree.
My husband and I were already juggling more than we could handle between the two of us. My husband completed four years of military service and chose not to renew his contract so he could be home to support me and our baby, while also going back to school. Our combined income had been slashed in half since his departure — this equated to us having one vehicle rather than two, me working a low-wage, full-time job while pregnant and going to school, and having to take out high-interest loans to pay our bills.
After discovering my pregnancy,
I began searching for a job that would keep my growing family afloat. Through a temp agency, I was fortunate enough to secure a full-time job that paid $10 an hour. Unfortunately, I was already four months pregnant by the time I was officially hired, and by the time I gave birth, I was just one month shy of meeting the six-month employment requirement to access full benefits, such as maternity leave.
During a hospital visit in which I was accompanying my also pregnant sister, I ended up having an emergency C-section. I gave birth to my daughter prematurely — she was born six weeks before her scheduled due date. Because of the medical complications I suffered leading up to the C-section, I was in the hospital for nearly two weeks.
This week marks the 30th anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act, which was passed in order to allow workers to ensure a level of job security while taking unpaid leave for medical and family leave. Because of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), I was able to take unpaid time off with job security — but not for long. I did not have the privilege to properly heal, stay at home and bond with my baby, and adjust to my new life with my child. On top of adjusting to being a new mom, I had to find last-minute child care.
At work, there were zero accommodations made for me and I did not know my rights as a nursing mom at the time. My position was hourly so I lacked the necessary breaks to pump breast milk.
Over 25 million women in the United States take on the role of caregivers for relatives and friends. We fulfill multiple responsibilities, as mothers, caregivers, employees, and more.
While revolutionary when first introduced, FMLA is simply outdated — and it’s not enough anymore. A comprehensive paid leave program would benefit workers across all industries and give mothers the paid time off they deserve to heal from pregnancy and bond with their children. On the 30th anniversary of the FMLA, join me in demanding that Congress show America’s moms how critical we are with guaranteed paid leave for all legislation.