I am a future mother and a state employee. As someone committed to my children and my job, I know the value of a paid family leave for me. As director of communications for South Carolina First Steps, the state’s early childhood agency, I also understand the importance of paid family leave for our state.
Giving workers paid vacation after the arrival of a child or to care for a sick relative is not a luxurious benefit. It is an investment in families and an intelligent policy for employers.
A bill in the SC Senate would be an important step, giving 12 weeks paid leave to state employees due to the birth or adoption of a minor child. Such legislation would directly benefit our state’s largest workforce and thousands of families, including mine. It would also set a standard for private employers that could impact hundreds of thousands more. But S.11 stagnated due to concerns about how and to whom the policy would apply.
If our state is serious about our commitment to families and our state’s economic future, we must prioritize paid family vacations.
Under current law, access to family leave is woefully inadequate. The Federal Family Medical Leave Act offers eligible workers up to 12 weeks of family leave protected by employment, but is unpaid unless the employee has time off due to illness or vacation. Many give up their unpaid leave simply because they cannot afford it. In South Carolina, 62% of workers do not have access to the required federal license because they are not eligible based on employer size or job stability requirements, or because the loss of income would result in serious financial difficulties.
Since the United States is the only industrialized nation without a national paid family leave mandate, the responsibility falls on states to support working families. Nine states and the District of Columbia have enacted comprehensive paid family leave programs that extend to private sector employees. Another 10 states offer paid family leave specifically for state workers. Federal employees recently gained access to paid parental leave through the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act, which took effect in October.
Like similar paid family leave policies, the cost of the proposed South Carolina bill is modest when compared to its value. A tax impact statement prepared by the SC Office of Revenue and Tax Affairs says that S.11 can cost up to $ 5.5 million annually from a $ 10 billion state budget. This projection does not take into account the considerable savings generated by increased employee retention and reduced health care costs.
The benefits of paid family leave are clear. Better health outcomes for babies and birth mothers are among the most widely recognized. When cared for by parents, newborns are more likely to be breastfed, receive timely medical tests and immunizations, and experience the responsive care they need for optimal brain development. Families with access to paid leave benefit from better maternal mental health and greater parental involvement.
It is also good for our economy. Family support policies have been shown to increase labor force participation and employee retention, especially among women. When more women enter and remain in the labor market, they earn more money, pay more taxes and help ensure that children are raised in financially stable homes.
Despite these financial risks, women continue to face barriers to paid employment. The pandemic has made things even more difficult, especially for mothers working on low or hourly wages. The lack of support has forced many to reduce their hours of work or to give up their jobs altogether. Last year, the impressive 1 million mothers left the job market. Bringing them back and restoring our economy will require more paid leave and better access to affordable, high-quality daycare.
But family support policies are not only important for women. To promote the advancement of women’s workforce and support the well-being of all children and families, paid family leave must be gender neutral and implemented in terms that value all parents equally. Regardless of gender or family structure, all parents play a vital role in the care and healthy development of their children. And every working adult deserves fair and equitable treatment at work.
When all working families can focus on health and well-being without losing their wages or compromising their jobs, our children and the economy benefit.
South Carolina must prioritize paid family vacations.
Beth Moore is director of communications for South Carolina First Steps.