Major progress towards paid family leave in the United States was achieved in 2002. These gains were made after many years of advocacy by broad-based coalitions across the United States. American workers are facing a time and income squeeze that makes balancing the routine demands of work and family increasingly difficult. When a new baby or family illness comes along, the balancing act frequently collapses under the additional pressure. Few working families have the resources to forego a regular income while spending the first crucial months with a new child or caring for an ill family member.

Most parents – mothers as well as fathers – participate now in the workforce. Meanwhile, wages and benefit coverage have declined for many workers over the past several decades, while the number of hours worked annually has increased. Some individual employers have begun to provide family leave benefits. However, without governmental action the majority of American workers will continue to lack the flexibility they need in their jobs to adequately care for their families, and few will have access to paid time off during times of critical family need.