Paid Family Leave Policies Being Introduced in South Florida

Much-needed paid family leave provisions are being introduced in South Florida, granting new parents time to bond with their growing families. According to the Sun-Sentinel on Nov. 1, "The latest employer to join the ranks is Hallandale Beach, which recently became Broward County’s first city to approve paid parental leave for its workforce. And Fort Lauderdale may be among the next to join." Among the few other cities or counties in Florida to offer paid parental leave: Broward County, Wellington, Coral Gables and Miami Beach, according to the article. The United States currently has no federal paid family or sick leave benefit, an anomaly among developed countries. New parents are allowed time off under the Family Medical Leave Act for up to 12 weeks following the birth, adoption, or fostering of a child, but it’s unpaid leave. In Germany, which has one of the most generous benefits, mothers receive their full pay for 14 weeks and then another 44 weeks of partial pay, CNN reported. In addition to the United States, the only other countries with no paid maternity leave are the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Suriname and Tonga, according to The New York Times. Read the full article and join the effort for paid family leave by being an active member in your union, Paid parental leave catches on in South Florida. ‘We have to evolve as a workforce.’