More Than a Proclamation from the Secretary of Labor

It’s great to have one day a year set aside to honor workers. But even better is to have a Secretary of Labor who honors workers through the work her department does every day.

In her message this Labor Day, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis highlighted those efforts – including the support they’ve given for policies and practices that value families at work. Here’s what she said:

Providing Work-Family Balance for Middle Class Families — With more two income families working more hours, the need for family friendly labor policy has never been greater. That’s why the Administration endorsed the Healthy Families Act to provide workers with sick leave to take care of themselves or their families. It’s why the Department of Labor moved quickly to implement the portion of Health Care Reform that provides working mothers with time and a private place to express breast milk. And it’s why we’ve updated the Family and Medical Leave Act to allow same-sex parents and numerous Americans who are aunts, uncles, grandparents and others who assume child rearing responsibilities time off to care for a sick child. Each of these makes it easier for Americans workers to balance their professional and personal responsibilities.

Watch her video here:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsXxMbFbZWQ&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

You can read her entire message here:
http://www.dol.gov/laborday/accomplishments.htm

Many thanks to Secretary Solis and her staff – and to all of you who make these gains possible by the work you do on the ground.