Ensuring Paid Family and Medical Leave for All Workers

WHEREAS, Black workers continue to face unmet needs for paid leave despite their contributions to the workforce, jeopardizing their economic stability and well-being; and 

WHEREAS, Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, one issue that garnered particular attention is how working families' lack of access to comprehensive supports, such as paid family and medical leave, threatens both their short- and long-term economic stability. Much of the public narrative has focused on how the absence of these supports has pushed many out of the workforce in order to fill caregiving gaps for their families or for themselves. What frequently gets lost in this discussion, however, is that many men and women — particularly low-income men and women, single parents, and people of color — simply cannot afford to leave the labor force to address their caregiving needs because their economic contributions are far too important to their families' financial stability; and 

WHEREAS, While the need for paid leave stretches across race, ethnicity, and gender, more than 80% of Black mothers, who often serve as sole, primary or co-breadwinners for their households, disproportionately bear the burden of caregiving responsibilities and face significant barriers to accessing paid leave benefits. This is a far greater share than that of mothers from other racial or ethnic groups, demonstrating how vital Black women's earnings are to their families' economic security; and

WHEREAS, According to the Center for American Progress' findings, in a given year, approximately 2.9 million leaves are needed by working Black women, but 1.1 million (38%) are not taken. This includes 75,000 leaves needed but not taken for parental leave (21%), 291,000 leaves needed but not taken for caregiving leave (55%), and 721,000 leaves needed but not taken for one's own health (36%). In a given year, 1.8 million leaves are taken by Black women, but about 42% of those leaves are taken without pay. 55% of parental leaves taken by Black women are unpaid; and 

WHEREAS, Not receiving pay or only receiving partial pay while on leave can put Black families in precarious economic situations, exacerbating existing disparities. Using a simulation model to estimate wages lost while on leave, research has shown that Black families lose billions each year due to lost wages while on leave. Limitations of the models do not account for lost wages due to unemployment when leave is needed, which would result in even higher estimates of lost wages; and 

WHEREAS, It is vital that the U.S. adopt national permanent paid leave policies to better support the needs of Black workers — and all workers — and to promote racial, gender, and economic equality. 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the NAACP will advocate for comprehensive policies that address the immediate, critical caregiving needs of workers by reinstating paid leave provisions and strengthening them by covering all workers regardless of employer size or sector. This includes providing both short- and long-term medical and caregiving leave, expanding maximum allowable leave lengths, increasing the wage replacement rate, expanding the definition of family to include chosen family, and providing employment protections for those who use paid leave. 

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP will advocate for permanent solutions that improve the overall quality of jobs by creating protections that enable workers to take time off for care purposes without the risk of losing their job.