Create a national 12-week paid family and medical leave program for all workers, paid for with a new payroll tax
The US does not have a federal paid family leave program. The Family and Medical Leave Act provides 12 weeks of unpaid leave, which many workers cannot afford to take. Most other developed countries provide paid parental leave. A proposal would create a federal paid family leave program giving new parents and those caring for seriously ill family members paid time off, funded through a small payroll tax.
Arguments For & Against
Pro Argument
The US is one of the very few developed countries without paid family leave. New parents should not have to choose between their newborn and their paycheck. Paid leave improves health outcomes for babies, increases breastfeeding rates, reduces infant mortality, and helps mothers stay in the workforce.
Con Argument
A federal paid family leave mandate would impose significant costs on employers, particularly small businesses, which may respond by hiring fewer workers, cutting wages, or reducing other benefits. The payroll tax to fund it reduces take-home pay for all workers.
Source document: SS-FC-Quaire-Full-0924.pdf
| Type | Organization | Date | Nat | Rep | Dem | Gap | Metric |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New PPC Survey (2026) | Program for Public Consultation | February 2026 | 75% | 68% | 84% | 16% | favor |
| Deliberative Survey | Program for Public Consultation | August 2024 | 72% | 61% | 85% | 24% | favor |
Program for Public Consultation — February 2026
Now, let's look at a proposal for family and medical leave, which includes an employee taking time off to care for a new child or a family member with a serious health condition, or to recover from a serious health condition. Currently, some workers get paid family and medical leave from their employer, but most do not. Here is a proposal: All workers would be allowed to take up to 12 weeks of family or medical leave; Workers on leave would receive two thirds of their wages, up to a maximum of $4,000 a month, paid by the Federal government. This proposal would be paid for by a new 0.2% payroll tax on both employers and employees.
Program for Public Consultation — August 2024
All workers would be allowed to take up to 12 weeks of family or medical leave. The employer would not be legally allowed to fire those workers, if they took leave for valid family or medical reasons. Workers on leave would receive two thirds of their wages for up to 12 weeks, up to a maximum of $4,000 a month, paid by the Federal government. In order to receive payment while on leave, workers would need to submit an application to the government, which must include official documents from a healthcare professional. This proposal would be paid for by a new 0.2% payroll tax on employers and employees. (For a person making $50,000, this would be about $100 a year, and their employer would also be taxed $100.)