| Releases
& Statements
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 13, 2007
Contact: John Collins, Press Secretary
(212) 669-4193; (917) 496-4587
Release #: 025-2007
Public
Advocate Gotbaum Betsy Gotbaum Calls for Changes to Help New York's
Working Mothers
Hundreds of thousands of low-income working mothers cannot afford
time off from work to care for loved ones
MANHATTAN
– Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum today released a Mother’s
Day wish list to help New York’s working mothers. Hundreds
of thousands of low-income working mothers cannot afford time
off from work to care for loved ones. Gotbaum’s wishes for
these mothers on Mother’s Day would change that. Gotbaum
is calling for:
-
Ensuring paid sick leave for workers
to take time off for family emergencies
- Creating paid family leave insurance
- Protecting caregivers from employment discrimination
Public
Advocate Gotbaum, mother of one, stepmother of four, said, “There
is no better time of year to show how much mothers and caregivers
mean to us – both at home and in the workplace. New Yorkers
caring for loved ones deserve our protection and support. They
have enough to worry about, and that shouldn’t include losing
their paycheck or job because they need to care for their children
or their parents. A few simple measures will help New York’s
working mothers fulfill their job and family responsibilities.”
Most
low-income working mothers – often the primary caregivers
- do not have a single paid sick day. Gotbaum is calling for more
employers to provide sick leave. According to a 2006 survey by
the Community Service Society, of all low-income working mothers,
only 48% have paid sick days. For single, low-income working mothers,
only 44% have paid sick days.
Gotbaum
is also calling for passage of the Working Families Time to Care
Act which will create family leave insurance. While the 1993 Family
Medical Leave Act (FMLA) guarantees an individual’s job
for up to 12 weeks of leave, it’s not required that this
time is paid. In 2002, California passed a bill that created a
paid family leave insurance plan. Gotbaum believes New York State
should follow suit by passing legislation that provides some financial
support via an insurance plan to mothers, or other caregivers,
who need to take time off to care for a relative.
Similarly,
Gotbaum is calling for the passage of the Caregiver bill she introduced
in the City Council. Currently, the New York City Human Rights
Law, one of the most comprehensive civil rights laws in the nation,
fails to protect New Yorkers caring for loved ones from discrimination
in the workplace. Gotbaum’s bill would protect New Yorkers
caring for family members or loved ones who face employment discrimination.
“Every
day is mother’s day. As a city, we need to do more to ensure
that,” concluded Gotbaum.
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