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OP-ED: Paid Family and Medical Leave Would Help Millions of Workers, Their Families and Employers

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The United States is the only member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that does not require workplaces to provide paid family and medical leave as a benefit of employment. When nearly all developed countries have acknowledged the importance of paid family and medical leave, the silence of the United States is ominous.
The post OP-ED: Paid Family and Medical Leave Would Help Millions of Workers, Their Families and Employers first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 year ago

October 25, 2023

Oakland Post

By Josephine Kalipeni

In a country where most people must work to make ends meet, work isn’t working for most families. The impossible, exhausting cycle of careers and caregiving doesn’t allow for real work-life balance. Workers and their families are tired, and we’re paying the price for living in a country that doesn’t have a care infrastructure to support them. We are struggling to hang onto our jobs while caring for our families. Fortunately, there is an opportunity to change that this week. Today, the Senate Finance Committee will hold its first-ever hearing on paid family and medical leave.

The United States is the only member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that does not require workplaces to provide paid family and medical leave as a benefit of employment. When nearly all developed countries have acknowledged the importance of paid family and medical leave, the silence of the United States is ominous. Nearly half of U.S. families live on the edge of financial ruin, according to the Corporation for Enterprise Development. This financial precariousness forces people to make the impossible choice between caring for sick or elderly family members and financial disaster.

The AARP found that there are 53 million caregivers in this country; that doesn’t include parents caring for children, grandparents caring for children, or young adults and children caring for an adult. Many of these caregivers are also working. Households of color are more likely to be multigenerational, with children and elders who depend on breadwinners. Women of color are disproportionately affected by the absence of paid family and medical leave. Black women, in particular, are more likely to participate in the workforce and serve as the primary breadwinners for their families, meaning we often face the difficult task of juggling both caregiving and work. Without paid family and medical leave, our entire families are vulnerable to circumstances that are often unpredictable.

Paid family and medical leave would allow workplaces to retain talent, provide financial leverage for people to participate in the economy, and keep families afloat during times of crisis. But it is also scarce — especially for people in lower-paid and hourly positions. Implementing paid family and medical leave at the national level not only benefits families, but it also has the potential to improve businesses and communities. Companies are likely to see reduced turnover and more job satisfaction and productivity from their employees. A financially secure family is better equipped to contribute to the local community and will have more money to spend — boosting local economies.

Crucially, paid family and medical leave also strengthens public health. When caregivers can take time off work without paying devastating financial consequences, our sick family members can more easily remain in their homes while they’re both contagious and convalescing. In a decade that will likely forever be associated with a global pandemic, the physical health of our communities has never been more important. Family Values @ Work and our state Network partners have been building this movement for more than 20 years and winning paid family and medical leave and paid sick and safe days state-by-state while building the political pressure necessary to win a federal bill. This hearing is a significant milestone in our work, and motivation to continue organizing, advocating, and winning policies that support families. It is because of the dedication and leadership of our Network that we’re here today.

Paid family and medical leave makes sense for families, businesses, and communities. It’s a win-win solution for everyone. To secure a brighter, more equitable future for working families, Congress should act now. The Senate Finance Committee’s next step is to pass the FAMILY Act out of committee immediately. The House should follow the lead of their colleagues and they don’t have to wait. The FAMILY Act has already been introduced in both chambers and meets Family Values @ Work’s definition of equitable policy. The FAMILY Act would provide workers with up to 12 weeks of paid time off for the birth or adoption of a new child and for personal medical needs, or the care of a seriously ill family member, and now includes safe leave for sexual or domestic violence. Workers will receive wage replacement on a tiered scale, and it ensures that workers will have a job to return to after taking time to care. No family should be forced to choose between a paycheck and their loved ones — especially not when practical policy decisions are ready to be enacted to help them.

Josephine Kalipeni (@malawian81) is an economic justice advocate and executive director of Family Values @ Work, a movement network of grassroots organizers and coalitions in more than two dozen states working to win paid family and medical leave, earned sick and safe days, and affordable, high-quality childcare at the state and national levels.

The post OP-ED: Paid Family and Medical Leave Would Help Millions of Workers, Their Families and Employers first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Target Takes a Hit: $12.4 Billion Wiped Out as Boycotts Grow

Target Corporation’s stock plummeted by approximately $27.27 per share by the end of February, erasing about $12.4 billion in market value. The drop came on February 28, the designated economic blackout day, and coincided with mounting backlash over the retailer’s decision to abandon its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) commitments. The National Newspaper Publishers Association […]

Published

5 days ago

March 2, 2025

Stacy Brown

The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) has taken action through its Public Education and Selective Buying Campaign. NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. said, “Black consumers helped build Target into a retail giant, and now they are making their voices heard. If corporations believe they can roll back diversity commitments without consequence, they are mistaken.”

Reverend Jamal Bryant, pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Georgia, has led calls for a “40-Day Target Fast,” urging Black consumers to withhold their spending at the retailer. “Black people spend $12 million a day at Target,” Bryant said. “If we withhold our dollars, we can make a statement that cannot be ignored.”

The NAACP also issued a Black Consumer Advisory in response to Target’s DEI rollback, warning Black consumers about corporate retreat from diversity initiatives. The advisory urges them to support businesses that remain committed to investing in Black communities.

Target is also facing legal battles. Shareholders have filed lawsuits challenging the company’s DEI policies, arguing that the commitments hurt financial performance. Meanwhile, conservative groups have sued over Target’s diversity efforts, claiming they discriminated against white employees and other groups.

“Consumers have the power to demand change, and Target is learning that lesson the hard way,” Chavis said.

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BREAKING Groundbreaking Singer Angie Stone Dies in Car Accident at 63

By Stacy M. Brown BlackPressUSA Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia The music and entertainment world reacted in shock and sorrow after the tragic death of Angie Stone, the pioneering singer-songwriter and hip-hop trailblazer who was killed in a car accident early Saturday morning in Montgomery, Alabama. She was 63. Stone’s publicist, Deborah R. Champagne, confirmed the […]

Published

6 days ago

March 1, 2025

Stacy Brown

By Stacy M. Brown

BlackPressUSA Senior National Correspondent

@StacyBrownMedia

The music and entertainment world reacted in shock and sorrow after the tragic death of Angie Stone, the pioneering singer-songwriter and hip-hop trailblazer who was killed in a car accident early Saturday morning in Montgomery, Alabama. She was 63.

Stone’s publicist, Deborah R. Champagne, confirmed the devastating news, stating that her family is heartbroken. “A number of her loved ones had just spoken to her last night,” Champagne told TMZ.

Born Angela Brown, Stone first rose to prominence as a member of The Sequence, hip-hop’s first all-female rap group. Their 1979 hit Funk You Up became one of the earliest rap records to break into the mainstream, later sampled in Bruno Mars’ Uptown Funk and Dr. Dre’s Keep Their Heads Ringin’. After her years with The Sequence, Stone launched a solo career in the late 1990s, earning Grammy nominations and releasing celebrated R&B hits like Brotha, No More Rain, and Wish I Didn’t Miss You.

Stone’s career spanned decades, seamlessly blending hip-hop, soul, and R&B. Her debut solo album, Black Diamond, achieved gold status. She earned multiple Grammy nominations, including Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for U-Haul and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Joe for More Than a Woman and with Betty Wright for Baby.

Several of Stone’s peers offered tributes following the devastating news.

Chuck D, the legendary Public Enemy frontman and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, called Stone a foundational figure. “Angie Stone [was] a powerful pioneer whenever I thought of her,” he told Black Press USA. “A foundation of modern soul and hip-hop and women empowerment that she’s still uncredited for. A terrible loss.”

Rocky Bucano, executive director of the Hip Hop Museum, described Stone as a groundbreaking force. “As a member of The Sequence, Angie B helped pave the way for generations of women in hip-hop,” Bucano said in an email to Black Press USA. “Her impact on hip-hop culture is immeasurable, and her presence will be deeply missed. Rest in power, Angie Stone. Your voice and influence will never fade.”

DJ Ralph McDaniels also told Black Press USA that Stone’s artistry mainly was unmatched. “Peaceful journey to our sister Angie Stone,” he said. “Her voice was unique and direct from hip-hop’s female group Sequence to her solo soul songs.”

Dr. Mario Dickens of Mario Dickens Ministries also offered condolences. “We are saddened to hear of the passing of one of this era’s greatest memorable voices,” he said. “We pray for her loved ones and fans,” said Dickens, who extended his company’s memorial printing services to Stone’s family at no cost.

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NAACP Legend and Freedom Fighter Hazel Dukes Passes

“She was a warrior in the truest sense of the word and activist extraordinaire.” Those words are from Reverend Al Sharpton who is celebrating the life and activism of the iconic Dr. Hazel Nell Dukes, civil rights activist and leader within the ranks of the New York and National Board of the NAACP. Dukes 92 […]

Published

6 days ago

March 1, 2025

Oakland Post

Just two weeks ago, Dukes was wheelchair bound and present to perform her duty as NAACP Election Supervisory Chair certifying the elections of the rights groups’ board members.

Dr. Ben Chavis, elected in 1993, was the 7th Executive Director and CEO of the NAACP and spoke on the life of Dukes saying, “The transformative leadership legacy of freedom fighter Hazel Dukes will now be enshrined with the greatest honor and respect as a leader of the NAACP in America and throughout the world.”

This morning the Chair of the Board of the NAACP Leon W. Russell told Black Press USA that Dr. Dukes led the NAACP New York Conference for 50 years acknowledging, “Her work has helped ensure that the 116-year-old NAACP could remain relevant and continue its work throughout the years. She has been consistent in her work and her support as a member and a leader.”

Sharpton says she has known her for almost 50 years since he was a teen. “There never was an issue that she was not out front. We’ve gone to jail together and the White House together.”

Sharpton expects to offer comments at Duke’s funeral service. He recalls she was “authentic, committed, and concerned,” The rights leader and TV host also says, “We will never have another Hazel Dukes. But thank God we had this one.”

The NAACP Board was notified of the passing of Dr. Dukes through the following correspondence this morning:

Passing of a Loved One. To God Be The Glory!

Colleagues, it is with a heavy heart and a profound sense of sadness that I inform you of that our sister, Momma Dukes, went to be with the ancestors at 6:20 AM today. Her transition was officially recorded and announced at 6:38 AM. Please lift her up in prayer and continue to pray for her son Ronald and all of her extended family.

It is always hard to send a message like this but as Hazel would say, she is in God’s hands now.

Dr. Hazel Nell Dukes, President of the NAACP New York State Conference and Member of the NAACP National Board of Directors was bold and courageous. She was a true warrior for civil rights and social justice. Her voice and her influence at our table will be missed, but we will all continue to be influenced by that same voice as we continue to fight for that same cause. Hazel was one of the giants on whose shoulders we will continue to stand as we continue to do God’s work here on Earth.

I will keep you informed as arrangements are announced and finalized. Please know that Hazel passed peacefully surrounded by many of the people who loved her and clergy who knew and pastored to her.

May our sister Hazel rest in power.

With a heavy heart.

Leon W. Russell

Chairman

NAACP National Board of Directors