A Letter to Candidates for National Office
Released July 16, 2004
As the United States prepares for federal and state elections, we alone among industrialized countries lack sound policies for families. More than 70% of families with children under age 18 are headed by two parents who both work, or by a single working parent, yet we do little to provide employed parents with time to care for newborns or ill children and family members. Nor are we doing enough to prepare children for school. Many of the sound family policies we need impose no new costs on the federal budget.
We, the undersigned experts on work and family policies, believe this nation can and must do more. Voters want paid leave for parents and early education for children. In a poll soon to be released in California, a majority of voters without children approved of the states new paid leave law. In a recent national poll, a majority of voters without children claimed that child care programs are an absolute necessity in their community.
There are many ways to make family leave more accessible that will cost the federal government little or nothing at all, including i) Lowering the threshhold to 25 employees, ii) Allowing people to use the FMLA for school and medical appointments and domestic-violence related followup, iii) Encouraging states to experiment with forms of paid leave, iv) As in California, having employees pay small amounts into a fund for paid leave, or having employers and employees share these costs. The benefits of making family leave more accessible far outweigh the costs, by helping strengthen job retention, reducing firms turnover costs, and helping families to stay off public assistance. Similarly, a proposed bill to guarantee workers at least 7 paid sick days to care for their own routine illness or that of a family member would benefit everyone the community, employers, and taxpayers, as well as workers and their loved ones.
Early education programs, including Head Start, have existed and succeeded for decades, yet have been persistently starved for funds. Head Start should be fully funded to provide services for all eligible children, and expanded to benefit more of our children. Funding for child care under TANF needs to be increased to meet the needs of all eligible families. Americans need universal, voluntary preschool and after-school care; the infrastructure in our public schools already exists to meet most of the need; and federal funding for after-school care needs to be restored.
Our nations families deserve better than we are giving. Paid leave and early education are needed and winning policies. We ask you to address these issues in your campaigns and commit to providing the leadership our nation needs on these vital issues.
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Respectfully, Mimi Abramovitz Constance Ahrons Norma Alarcon Randy Albelda Tammy Allen Brian Alterio Carolyn Anderson Eileen Appelbaum Robin Appleberry Barbara Ashby Beth Ashfahl Lee Badgett Lotte Bailyn Dean Baker Rosalind Chait Barnett Dana Barron Leslie Batson Rose Batt Christopher Beem Lissa Bell Gina Bellavia Sarah Bennett-Astesano Debra Berke Anne Bernstein Cheryl Beth Kuchler Suzanne Bianchi Mary Blair-Loy Ellen Blizinsky Robert Blodgett Ann Bookman Pat Boling Todd Boressoff Eileen Boris Sally Bould Heather Boushey Ellen Bravo Sandy Burud Virginia Byrd Amy Caiazza Leslie J. Calman Cynthia Calvert Francoise Carre Lynette Chappell-Williams Linda Chavez-Thompson Hilary Chiz Patricia Christ Leslie Cintron Christi Cook Holly Cohen Cooper Ann Crittenden Leslie de Pietro Stephan Desrochers Niki Dickerson Elizabeth Dodson Donna Dolan Nicola Dones Robert Drago Lou Easterday Janet C. Gornick Mary Ellen Gornick Elaine Enarson Ellen Ernst Kossek Holly Fechner Deborah M. Figart Netsy Firestein Nancy Folbre Shelly Fox-Emmett Mindy Fried Bernadette Fusaro Ellen Galinksy Mary Gatta T.L. Geraghty Kathleen Gerson Naomi Gerstel Kay Giddings Jennifer Glass Bobbie Golani Lonnie Golden Leslie Gompf Elise Gould Sara Gould Marc Goulden Jodi Grant Leslie Gray Daniel Hamermesh Leslie Hammer Karen Hansen Robin Hardman Brad Harrington Mona Harrington Mary S. Hartman Heidi Hartmann Patricia Herlihy Sylvia Ann Hewlett Jody Heymann Christine Firer Hinze Susan Hinze Pam Holder Ginnie Hough Roseanne Hues Ayanna Hughey Larry Hunter Andrew Imparato Jerry Jacobs Mellisa Josephs |
Pamela Joshi Lynne Kaleita Lisa Kaplan-Miller Eric Karolak Julie Kashien Pamela Kelley Erin Kelly Nicole Kohleriter Nancy Kolben Kit Kollenberg Karen Kornbluh Demie Kurz Donna Lenhoff Christine Leona Sharon Lerman Carolyn Lerner Jackie Litt Karen Logvin Jayne London Vicki Lovell Patricia Lutz Shelley MacDermid Cameron MacDonald Nina Madoo Debra Major Julianne Malveau Tiffany Manuel Patrice Maresch Deven McGraw Karen McGuiness Brendan McGuire Marcia K. Meyers Bonnie Michaels Shari Mickey-Boggs Ruth Milkman Joya Misra Jeniffer Mittelstadt Phyllis Moen Molly Monahan Margaret Neal Margaret Nelson Karen Nussbaum Becky Ogle Stacey Oliker Terry Palmer Ann Patterson Shanny Peer Marcie Pitt-Catsouphes Joseph Pleck Wendy Pollack Rhonda Present Julie Press Kate Quinn Phyllis Raabe Isolina Ricci Barbara Risman Patricia Roos Marta Rosa Nancy Rose Linda Roundtree Carol J. Saginaw Susan Sapiro Cathy Sarri Juliet Schor Nancy Segal Linda Siebert Rapoport Susan Shapiro Stephanie Shields Eric Silverman John Simmons Alma Sisco-Smith Janet Slack Clare Stacey Judith Stadtman Diana Strassmann Rosalie Streett Beth Sullivan Sherylle Tan Monique Tavares Cynthia Thompson Tracy Thompson Valerie Tobin Nicholas Townsend Mary Trigg Ozgur Tunceli Marjolein van der Veen Paula Voos Linda Waite Susan Walker Margy Waller Jean Waltman Kelly Ward Jennifer Ward-Batts Shelley Waters Boots Jeffrey Wenger Jennie Wenger Martha West Aaronette White Joan Williams Judith Wittner Krysia Wobel Faith Wohl Heather Wylie Brenda Wyss Sheldon Zedeck |
