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Steven,

This bill is not just for new parents.  It is "family paid leave".  It covers those who need to care for sick family members.  Even those who are able to successfully plan 100% of our pregnancies, we can't always prepare fully for sick parents and partners. 

Cary

posted 4 years, 1 month ago
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I fully support this bill and struggle to understand who would not be in favor of it.  We have many forms of social welfare (e.g., social security, unemployment insurance, subsidized student loans, medicare, etc) and all have provided an invaluable safety net for Americans.  I believe the U.S. is one of the few countries that have no paid leave policy.  Can the speakers address this?  How many countries have no policy? 

I too was in Salem last week for the hearing.  One of the few witnesses against this bill was a young woman, probably in her mid-20's.  She said she resented paying into a system she would not benefit from.  As someone who is well beyond her mid-20s that sounds wildly naive to me.  Will she never have a sick parent?  Never have children?  

Enlightened societies take care of their weakest.  This legislation will provide a safety net in the same way that unemployment insurance provides a safety net.  With 12.1% of Oregonians currently unemployed we can see that these forms of social welfare are critical to our community.

Cary

posted 4 years, 1 month ago
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