Election Ads Supporting Paid Leave Champions
/FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Today, the National Partnership for Women & Families Action Fund launched its first-ever election ads, backing congressional candidates in the upcoming midterm elections.
All of the candidates the Action Fund is highlighting have publicly supported paid family and medical leave beyond just paid parental leave.
The Action Fund has purchased digital ads in two House races, supporting Democrat Abby Finkenauer in her campaign against Republican incumbent Rep. Rod Blum (Iowa-1) and Democrat Lauren Underwood in her bid to replace Republican incumbent Rep. Randy Hultgren (Ill.-14).
Both Finkenauer and Underwood advocate for comprehensive paid family and medical leave that covers parental leave as well as leave for family caregiving and personal medical needs.
In addition, digital ads targeting people in and around the U.S. Capitol will direct individuals to a website promoting more than 200 “paid leave champions” — House and Senate candidates from 22 states, the District of Columbia and the Northern Mariana Islands.
The candidates featured on the Action Fund’s website are either current federal lawmakers running for re-election who support the Family And Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act, or candidates whose campaign platform includes a commitment to support paid leave for new parents as well as those dealing with serious family or personal medical issues.
“The National Partnership for Women & Families Action Fund is proud and excited to support candidates who are fighting for working families to have paid leave,” said Debra L. Ness, president of the Action Fund. “Our paid leave champions understand that no matter where they live or work or what job they hold, America’s workers should be able to take the time they need to bond with a newborn, care for a dying parent, or address their own serious health issues.”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 17 percent of all working people have access to paid family leave through their employer and less than 40 percent have personal medical leave through an employer-provided short-term disability program. Workers’ access varies dramatically by job type and wage level. A recent national survey commissioned by the National Partnership for Women & Families (the Action Fund’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm) and conducted by the non-partisan research firm PerryUndem and the Republican research firm Bellwether Research, found that more than eight in 10 voters support a national paid family and medical leave policy that covers all working people, and a similar share specifically support the FAMILY Act’s model. Support is strong across party and demographic lines.
The survey also found that seven in 10 voters say they are more likely to vote for a candidate who publicly supports a comprehensive national paid family and medical leave policy. In addition, 70 percent of voters say that support for comprehensive paid leave should be their party’s issue — yet the Action Fund’s analysis of champions shows that support among lawmakers hasn’t caught up to the public’s views.
While the Action Fund’s effort does not include governors, Ness notes, “It’s very exciting to see paid family and medical leave take center stage in key races across the country, especially in New Hampshire.”