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Paid leave shouldn’t be pipe dream

America is one of only a handful of countries on Earth that does not have paid family leave for its citizens. Today, only 20 percent of private sector workers have family leave, and only 12 percent have paid leave. Low wage workers fare far worse than the average.

Today there are nine states in America that have paid maternity leave. West Virginia is not one of them.

There is hope on the horizon in the form of the Build Back Better Plan that Congress will be voting on soon. It would guarantee paid family leave for all Americans. A bold step forward for the country that is ranked last of 36 countries in maternal care.

Besides giving families time to welcome and bond with a new baby or a foster child, it would provide leave due to sickness or the sickness of a family member.

During a pandemic, it is dangerous to the community, to school staff, and to other children to send kids to school sick. For the sake of public health and the health of families, parents should not be forced to choose between the health of their families and a paycheck.

West Virginia families need this critical support now more than ever. We need Senators Manchin and Capito to vote for the entire Build Back Better package for the West Virginia families.

Jude Stephens

Parkersburg

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