For years, Mainers have been forced to make impossible decisions - to take unpaid time off to care for their loved ones, or to continue to work so they can pay their rent or put food on the table. This crisis was not brought on by COVID-19, but it’s only gotten worse.
We wanted to hear from our neighbors directly to see what this policy would mean for them, so we made hundreds of phone calls across the state. We spoke to Sandra, who knows just how hard it can be for families struggling to stay afloat – because she lived it. Watch the video to hear Sandra’s story.
“I’m a senior, but I’ve been in a situation growing up where we had no food and could barely afford to pay rent,” said Sandra. “I think during this awful COVID-19 season, there are families [who] really need help. They need Paid Family Leave.”
A statewide Paid Family & Medical Leave policy would give our working families the security to take care of themselves when they’re ill, without risking the income they need to survive.
Working families are the backbone of our communities and workplaces – when they are healthy, our communities and workplaces are healthy, too.
Right now, our current policy that’s in place is simply not enough. Sandra is right: we need Paid Family & Medical Leave.
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