As we continue to battle COVID-19, it is more important than ever that every hardworking Mainer has Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML).
And Mainers agree. We called hundreds of local working families to ask them their thoughts on PFML, and received powerful responses on what a statewide policy would mean for many of Maine’s working families.
We spoke to Kathy from Waterville, who is a nurse in the area.
“When I was working in oncology, I had a young patient with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy, and because she needed time off, she was fired from the job she was working at because she needed time off,” Kathy said on the call.
The current lack of a statewide PFML policy means some employees are forced to take unpaid leave, come to work when they are ill, or, in the worst case, risk the loss of their job (and their insurance with it).
“She lost her job, and her income, and her insurance, and I just thought that was really lousy,” said Kathy.
Right now, our current policy that’s in place is not enough. We know that communities and workplaces thrive when our families are healthy; PFML is an important part of that.
It’s time to ensure that Maine’s working families can take time off to care for themselves or their loved ones, without risking their paycheck.