Action Alert: Contact Your Senator and Representative About FAMLI
Take Action Today for FAMLI
One of WFCO’s priority bills is being heard in the Senate on Wednesday, March 13: FAMLI Family Medical Leave Insurance Program, Senate Bill 19-188. We need our statewide network to help this bill move forward. Please contact your state senator and representative today to let them know it’s time for our state government to act to create a paid leave program. Too many workers cannot afford to take unpaid leave to care for themselves or a loved one.
Why is FAMLI good for the health of women and all Coloradans?
- Nearly 1 in 4 new mothers return to work within 2 weeks because they cannot afford to go without pay.
- Women with paid family leave are more successful in breastfeeding, which has numerous benefits for both the mother and the baby.
- 12 weeks of paid leave increases childhood checkups and immunizations and has a positive impact on birth weight and infant mortality. Additionally, sick children recover faster when cared for by a parent.
- Nearly 3 out of 4 workers in the U.S. will spend at least part of their adult lives living with a disability, yet only 37% of the workforce is covered by private temporary disability insurance policies.
- Unpaid caregivers enable 2/3 of older adults to remain in the homes and communities, rather than in long-term care facilities. Adults in need of long-term care have better mental and physical health when cared for in the home.
In addition to health benefits, the economic benefits of women’s access to paid leave extend beyond the pay they receive during the leave period.
How does FAMLI offer economic benefits to women and employers?
- Research indicates that access to paid family and medical leave increases the probability that women continue working after having a child and that women who utilized paid leave were more likely to experience wage growth in the following year than those without access to paid leave.
- On the macro level, public paid leave programs have also been associated with job growth and increased economic activity.
We know that the women of our state would be positively impacted by the passage of this bill. It would allow one of the many barriers to women’s economic security to be removed. Every major economic power and industrialized nation other than the U.S. has embraced paid leave as a tool to maximize economic growth with unemployment equal to or lower than that of the U.S., for employers to remain competitive and profitable, and employees – especially women – to develop thriving careers. Please support improved economic outcomes for Colorado women and families and our state.
Guidance for outreach to your legislators
When you contact your state senator and representative (use this link to find out who your they are) remember the following:
- Tell them you are a constituent; legislators pay attention to those who put – and keep – them in office.
- Communicate aspects important to you in your own words; legislators prefer not to receive standardized emails and/or calls.
- Include something specific to your district (a personal story, something you saw/heard, why this matter is especially important to you, etc.).
For a phone call:
- Introduce yourself as a constituent and include your affiliation with The Women’s Foundation of Colorado, as well as your professional affiliation or role in the community.
- Convey that creating a paid family and medical leave insurance program in Colorado is important because employees should not have to make the choice between caring for a loved one or continuing to work to support their family and the economy
- Please vote yes when the Senate Business, Technology, and Labor Committee considers SB19-188 this week.
For an email:
Dear Senator [Enter last name],
My name is [ENTER NAME] and I am a supporter of The Women’s Foundation of Colorado as well as a [INSERT PROFESSIONAL TITLE (optional). e.g.: business owner, educator etc]. I am writing you today to strongly encourage your support of FAMLI, which would benefit women and their employers.
Creating a paid family and medical leave insurance program in Colorado is important because employees should not have to make the choice between caring for a loved one or continuing to work to support their family and the economy.
(Insert another fact here from the language above that feels compelling to you, e.g. Nearly 3 out of 4 workers in the U.S. will spend at least part of their adult lives living with a disability, yet only 37% of the workforce is covered by private temporary disability insurance policies).
As one of your constituents, I ask you to please vote in support of SB19-188 when the Senate Business, Technology, and Labor Committee considers this bill this week.
Sincerely,
[Enter name]
For more tips on how to be an advocate for women, visit our civic engagement page.
