
- Paid Leave
“Going back to work when your baby is six weeks old is no mother’s dream, but my job was on the line.”
– Anna Akins (LA)
Anna and her husband Gabriel, worked full time, but neither had paid leave available through their jobs. After Anna exhausted most of her unpaid leave to give birth to her son, Gareth, she had to return to work after just 6 weeks. As a newborn, Gareth was often ill with major allergies, asthma, and other complications. Without the benefit of paid leave to allow her to care for his complicated health needs, Anna was ultimately forced to resign from her job – at great financial cost to their family. Paid family and medical leave would have provided Anna’s family with more financial flexibility to ensure Gareth’s safe and healthy development.