Family Values @ Work Statement on the Passage of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act

We applaud House leadership for swiftly passing the Families First Coronavirus Response Act with bipartisan support, and we commend Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Speaker Pelosi for their steadfast leadership on paid leave. The passage of this legislation will play a crucial role in slowing the spread of COVID-19 nationwide. 

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act provides workers 10 paid sick days and up to three months of paid family and medical leave – marking the first time the House has passed paid time to care, a moment made possible by the groundbreaking work of our network and partners over the past 16 years. The bill also offers enhanced unemployment insurance; strengthened nutrition security initiatives; and an increase in federal funds for Medicaid. 

For COVID-19 related illness and care purposes, this package is an important step to protect the financial well-being and health of American families. 

However, as a result of compromises demanded by the White House, the bill falls short of fully meeting workers’ needs. Employer thresholds in this bill will leave out millions of workers. Providing two-thirds wage replacement for FMLA leave, and for caregiving under paid sick days, will not be enough for many working families as we know from evidence in the states with such programs. The legislation lacks an inclusive definition of family for caregiving purposes which could disproportionately impact seniors and people with disabilities, among others. In addition, our small business partners have pointed out that quarterly tax credits will not reach small business owners in a timely way to keep them afloat during this economic crisis. Providing cash reimbursement immediately to these businesses would protect both the enterprise and its employees. Other provisions from the original bill, like strengthened OSHA protections and protections for frontline health workers, have also been removed.

It’s important to remember that these provisions are only in effect during public health emergencies. We still need permanent solutions: national policies guaranteeing workers earn paid sick days every year, to protect workers and families when we catch the flu or a child has a doctor’s appointment, and also a social insurance fund for family and medical leave, to provide wages when families need longer time to welcome a new child or deal with a serious personal or family illness. 

We need time to care every day, no matter where we work, where we live, or who we love. It shouldn’t take a pandemic to remind us that our nation does best when everyone has time to heal.Anticipating the Senate will approve this package quickly and the President will sign it, our network will work to ensure swift implementation and enforcement, while continuing to organize for comprehensive, permanent solutions that build our nation’s caregiving infrastructure. Like many in Congress, we also urge our elected leaders to build on this package to protect the health, economic security and well-being of all people in the U.S during this pandemic.

###