Delaware Cares Coalition for Paid Leave Wins Statewide Paid Leave Policy

FV@W applauds the efforts of the Delaware Cares Coalition for Paid Leave to pass a statewide paid family and medical leave program. As an organization that employs and supports transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, we are thrilled that Senator McBride is championing this issue in Delaware – making McBride the first out-as-transgender state legislator to be lead sponsor on a paid leave bill.

Delaware is now the 12th state – joining its neighbor New Jersey  – to provide more economic stability for working families through paid family and medical leave. The law guarantees paid medical leave for a worker’s own serious health condition, paid parental leave to bond with a new child, and paid family leave to care for a parent, child, or spouse. 

This bill is a first step, but more work remains to be done. Paid family and medical leave programs in New Jersey, D.C., and beyond have shown the need to cover all workers when creating a program. Advocates in those states and others have demonstrated that not only is it possible to improve statewide programs after passage, but that it is an imperative to do so in order to support the needs of working families and the state’s economy. FV@W looks forward to working with the Delaware Cares Coalition for Paid Leave on robust implementation and continued collaboration for creating the best paid family and medical leave program.”