Statement: House Passes Build Back Better Act that includes Paid Family and Medical Leave

We are delighted to see that the Build Back Better Act including paid family and medical leave has passed the House of Representatives. This is a critical first step towards ensuring that the United States is no longer the only industrialized country in the world without a national paid family and medical leave program. 

We want to thank and celebrate the incredible advocacy from our members, partners and allies from around the country, as well as our champions in Congress whose fierce dedication to paid family and medical leave brought us to this moment. 

We want to especially acknowledge our partners in the Family Values at Work network who have been supporting a state by state grassroots movement for inclusive paid leave since we passed California’s Paid Family Leave law in 2002. 

We know from our experience living in California how important it is for everyone to be able to take the time they need to recover from their own illness, care for a seriously ill loved one or bond with a new baby. We want every person living in the United States to have that right. 

We look forward to continuing to advocate for comprehensive, equitable paid family and medical leave that reflects the lessons from our California program as the Build Back Better Act moves to the Senate. 

The California Work & Family Coalition is a statewide alliance of community organizations, unions, non-profits, and individuals dedicated to helping parents, caregivers, and families thrive. We are united in the belief that all people should have the time and resources to care for themselves and each other.