Family Values @ Work Celebrates the Introduction of the American Families Plan

(WASHINGTON, DC)––Family Values @ Work is a movement network of grassroots coalitions in more than two dozen states working to win paid family and medical leave, earned sick and safe days, and affordable, high-quality childcare at the state and national levels. Today, FV@W released the following statement celebrating President Biden’s “American Families Plan”:

With his American Families Plan, President Biden is rolling out a transformative, urgently needed set of policies to value families by valuing care. The plan calls for a permanent paid family and medical leave policy, ending the nation’s outlier status, along with significant investments in early childhood education — critical systems to boost families and facilitate employment. The Family Values @ Work network is celebrating this watershed package, and will continue to organize and work with Congress on the details, to ensure the plans are accessible and affordable for all.

President Biden’s paid leave proposal is comprehensive, including time to bond with a new child, care for a serious personal or family illness, deal with a military deployment or the aftermath of sexual abuse and domestic violence, and time for bereavement when a loved one passes. It is universal and inclusive, covering all types of families, and sets a benchmark of 12 weeks leave. The plan recognizes the need for wage replacement to be progressive, offering a higher rate for those earning lower pay.

The American Families Plan also makes a significant investment in early childhood education.  It allocates $200 billion to create a universal, inclusive and free national preschool program and provides families with a range of options from child care centers to family child care providers, Early Head Start, and public schools. Investments are targeted to make care both affordable and high quality.

We are delighted that the American Families Plan centers the experiences of America’s working families and addresses the care needs of communities most impacted by economic and racial injustice. The plan lessens the crushing costs of childcare with which many families continue to grapple with. Instituting a $15 minimum wage for early childhood education staff will increase the take-home pay of these essential workers who are disproportionately women of color who are underpaid and undervalued. And establishing a national paid leave program means that all workers will have access to this critical, earned right, most for the first time. All of these proposals will make it easier for women to return to and stay in the workforce.

The Family Values @ Work movement has worked for nearly 20 years to reach this moment––a moment earned through the collective work of our network’s activists, who organized tirelessly to ensure the voices of millions of families were heard. We are proud to see the plan incorporate key features of the models our state coalitions have helped win and implement. The American Families Plan takes a bold next step in creating a new economy founded on an infrastructure of care, equity, and respect. We are eager to help flesh out these proposals to ensure they include everyone. Because care can’t wait.

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