Clinton: Extend Unpaid Family Leave

Democratic Presidential Hopeful Wants Unpaid Family Leave For 13 Million More Workers

(AP)  Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton on Tuesday proposed extending unpaid family leave to an additional 13 million workers and spending $1 billion a year on paid leave programs.

"Too many Americans today feel trapped between being there for their kids and being there for their employer, and our government policies have just not kept up with the realities of American life," said Clinton, who proposed expanding the Family Medical Leave Act to include companies that employ at least 25 workers instead of the current 50.

That would make millions more workers eligible for up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a newborn or ill family member. Clinton also said she would encourage states to develop paid leave programs by offering $1 billion a year in grants.

"We have to get real about what's happening with families today," the New York senator said in a speech at the Manchester YWCA. "We want to make it easier for people to both work and fulfill their most important responsibilities."

Clinton described her own experience as a working mother, recalling that her law firm colleagues didn't know quite what to make of the firm's first pregnant lawyer.

"I just kept getting more and more pregnant, and the lawyers kept walking down the hall looking the other way," she said.

Clinton said she relished the time she took off after her daughter Chelsea was born, and that even though she was lucky to have help when she returned to work, she can empathize with the struggles many parents face.

"I've been fortunate to have so much support as a working mother, but I understand what it means to be pulled in a million directions at once," she said, describing a hectic morning when both Chelsea and her baby sitter were sick and Clinton was due in court.

"It was just that gut-wrenching feeling," she said. "I was lucky enough to have a friend who came over and watched Chelsea while I ran to court and ran back home. But I know that happens every day, and there are so many pressures on young parents."

Beyond family leave, Clinton proposed requiring all workers to be given seven sick days a year that could be used to care for themselves or their children. Clinton's plan also would require employers to at least consider requests for flexible work schedules.

She also would increase funding for child care subsidies and allow them to be given to parents who stay at home with their children rather than only to those who send their children to daycare.

"Why should we pay for other people to care for your children but not give you the support to stay home and do it yourself?" she said.

A Republican National Committee spokesman said Clinton's proposals are reckless.

"Hillary Clinton's agenda for working families is pretty clear: higher taxes to pay for outrageous spending proposals totaling more than $750 billion," Danny Diaz said. "Senator Clinton's plans to grow government and weaken our national defense will not resonate with American families at any rung in the economic ladder."

[signof4]

This socialist beotch just can''t stop thinking of ways to buy votes. Total pandering. And she''s ''no ways tarrrrrrred. She comes too farrrrrrrr......'' to stop now.

[getitfree]

The american workforce is an american slavery force, the hours we put in. Everybody else works half the time, and they''re more productive. And separate work from home. People at work can''t call you at home. Home is sacred. You go to work to work, and when you leave, nobody bothers you until you come back.

[sgtrds]

DANG - Hillary - I want PAID extended family leave. What is wrong with this hayseed! TAX and SPEND, TAX AND SPEND - GET IT RIGHT, HILLBILLY!

Posted by speakinup at 06:36 PM : Oct 16, 2007

Actually I think paid family leave is a great idea. I can''t imagine how any republican who claims to believe in family values could object to any American getting say 4 or 5 months off to bond with their new family member. Unless they''re a hypocrite of course........

[starleo146]

The American media outlet has vested so much time in bashing Bush, blaming America, spreading right wing conspiracy theories, spreading anti- Americanism they have actually overextended their efforts. By bashing Bush to the degree and length of time that they have, they have done irrepairable damage to whoever becomes President, including HillaryOTHER COUNTRIES WILL CONTINUE TO RIDE THE WAVE OF HATRED THAT THE AMERICAN MEDIA HAS CREATED. FOREIGN LEADER AREN''''T ABOUT TO STOP THIS WAVE. THEY''''VE BENEFITTED THE MOST FROM IT. HILLARY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STOP THE SPEEDING TRAIN OF ANTI AMERICANISM THAT THE LIBERAL MEDIA HAS PERPETUATED, THE TRAIN THAT THE MEDIA CREATED TO GET HER INTO OFFICE WILL BE SPEEDING SO FAST, IT WILL SABOTAGE HER PRESIDENCY. IF SHE IS ELECTED, THE MEDIA, OF COURSE, WILL DO A 180 DEGREE TURN AND TRY TO ASSIST HER IN HER EFFORTS, BUT IT WILL BE TOO LATE, THE ANTI AMERICAN SEED WILL HAVE BEEN PLANTED TOO DEEP INTERNATIONALLY AND WILL EVENTUALLY KILL HILLARY''''S PRESIDENCY.By spreading so much anti Americanism, in order to get a Democrat elected, the media have done decades of damage and have ruined Hillary''''s Presidency.

Posted by bizzzz at 04:27 PM : Oct 16, 2007
+ report

I think the 8 years of pure he11 you put the Clinton''s through, Bush hasn''t seen anything that the Clinton''s were put through by you neocons.

[speakinup]

DANG - Hillary - I want PAID extended family leave. What is wrong with this hayseed! TAX and SPEND, TAX AND SPEND - GET IT RIGHT, HILLBILLY!

[katg21]

Go on Hillary, keep on promising the world! How about if you become president we all get a brand new car!!!

[bizzzz-2009]

The American media outlet has vested so much time in bashing Bush, blaming America, spreading right wing conspiracy theories, spreading anti- Americanism they have actually overextended their efforts. By bashing Bush to the degree and length of time that they have, they have done irrepairable damage to whoever becomes President, including HillaryOTHER COUNTRIES WILL CONTINUE TO RIDE THE WAVE OF HATRED THAT THE AMERICAN MEDIA HAS CREATED. FOREIGN LEADER AREN''T ABOUT TO STOP THIS WAVE. THEY''VE BENEFITTED THE MOST FROM IT. HILLARY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STOP THE SPEEDING TRAIN OF ANTI AMERICANISM THAT THE LIBERAL MEDIA HAS PERPETUATED, THE TRAIN THAT THE MEDIA CREATED TO GET HER INTO OFFICE WILL BE SPEEDING SO FAST, IT WILL SABOTAGE HER PRESIDENCY. IF SHE IS ELECTED, THE MEDIA, OF COURSE, WILL DO A 180 DEGREE TURN AND TRY TO ASSIST HER IN HER EFFORTS, BUT IT WILL BE TOO LATE, THE ANTI AMERICAN SEED WILL HAVE BEEN PLANTED TOO DEEP INTERNATIONALLY AND WILL EVENTUALLY KILL HILLARY''S PRESIDENCY.By spreading so much anti Americanism, in order to get a Democrat elected, the media have done decades of damage and have ruined Hillary''s Presidency.

[jack3213]

She is sounding very desperate now, offering endless promises only the people will pay for in the end. Be realistic, what we want isn''t always what we get. What is feasible is slow change, and making grandeous promises is setting yourself up for major disappointment, but she doesn''t care, she just wants your vote.

[tnt1954]

they are far too conservative, for the nobility
and ruling classes. the common man deserves
paid leave, paid two months a year vacation, paid
medical insurance including catastophic insurance
paid sick leave, paid disablity insurance, paid
cars to get to work. the bosses can move to
the offices and live a cot, to make sure the
people who he enslaves keep their job, and the
savings in costs are passed on to the employees
not the consumer. peace and freedom party. they
also need
a three day work week.