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Nurture KC had the opportunity to present on the benefits of Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) during a briefing of the issue before the Senate Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee. While there are no plans to introduce specific legislation this session, the hearing is the first step in introducing PFML as a family-friendly policy that could assist a wide swath of Kansans juggling work and family needs. PFML would allow workers to take paid leave from their jobs for the following reasons: parental leave upon the birth, adoption or fostering of a child; sick leave for themselves or a family member; senior care needs; and members of the military upon deployment or re-entry.
For families, paid parental leave is critical to parent-child bonding in those critical early days of life that result in stronger family connections and improved health for both parent and child. Parents with leave are more likely to take children to well visits, get children vaccinated, and breastfeed for longer periods of time. Paid parental leave reduces the likelihood of postpartum depression as it alleviates some of the stresses associated with new motherhood.
Nurture KC is part of the Paid Leave For All Kansans Coalition, the group behind this early education effort that we hope will result in real policy change for Kansas families in the years to come. If you are interested in joining the coalition or sharing your story, check them out at PaidLeaveForAllKansans. We will participate in additional legislative group meetings in Topeka to establish a foundation of information on PFML throughout the legislative session. You can view Nurture KC’s testimony on the topic in the Members only section of NurtureKC.org.
Tracy Russell
Executive Director, Nurture KC
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