AAUW Naperville hosts program and movie on paid leave in Illinois May 15

The United States is the only industrialized country without a federal paid leave law. That's right, zero weeks of paid leave is what the U.S.A. offers in comparison to other countries, some of which offer up to a year of paid leave.

While many may be familiar with the Family Medical Leave Act, which is unpaid, and the use of paid sick days for our own sickness or after childbirth, most workers do not have access to pay when they are not at work for their own illness, after childbirth or adoption, after their partner has a child, or when they must care for a family member.

Unpaid workplace interruptions frequently occur, disproportionately impacting women. The consequence of these interruptions over time and in the aggregate contributes to the ongoing gender-based pay gap.

A plethora of research exists to show that paid leave legislation benefits families, children, employers, and, importantly, helps to reduce the gender-based pay gap.

Illinois Senate Bill 835, the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act, sponsored by state Sen. Ram Villivalam, has been introduced into the 102nd General Assembly in Illinois.

This comprehensive paid leave bill has the buy-in of many important constituencies in the state. The time is now to pass this important bill in Illinois and have our state join the nine other states and the District of Columbia with a paid leave law in place while we await legislation at the federal level.

Join the AAUW Naperville Area Branch's presentation of the award-winning 2017 movie “Zero Weeks” to hear real stories and learn compelling reasons why paid leave will help families and businesses. Hear an introduction by Dr. Robert Bruno, professor and director of the University of Illinois Labor Education Program, and learn about the Family & Medical Insurance Ace (SB835) recently introduced in the Illinois Legislature from Sarah Labadie, associate director of policy at Women Employed.

The Zoom program will be 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 15.

To attend you must register online at naperville-il.aauw.net.