Edwards Proposes Expanded Pain Family and Medical Leave

From The Edwards Campaign:

Today, Senator John Edwards outlined his bold policies for a more family-friendly America with universal paid family and medical leave, universal pre-kindergarten for four-year-olds, more affordable care for other children and job benefits for independent workers. Among the most significant policy proposals of the Edwards plan is for at least eight weeks of paid family and medical leave that will help American workers balance their jobs and their families.

“The broken system in Washington has forgotten America ’s families for too long,” said Edwards. “In the past generation, an unprecedented number of women have taken jobs outside the home, changing the face of the American workforce. But while two-thirds of mothers are now working, it has never been harder for American workers to balance the needs of their jobs and their families.

Universal Paid Family Leave: Edwards will ensure that workers have time off when they need it by working with states to offer eight weeks of paid family and medical leave to all American workers.

Universal Preschool and Affordable Childcare: Edwards will help make quality preschool education as common as kindergarten by helping all states offer “Great Promise” universal high-quality programs for four-year-olds.

Economic Fairness for Independent Workers: Edwards supports updating benefits for independent workers, who are largely excluded from retirement, health care, unemployment insurance, sick days and other benefits of traditional employment.