Grants from DOL Women's Bureau Fund Paid Leave Research
The bureau is making $1.25 million in grants available to research and analyze how paid leave programs can be developed and implemented nationwide.
The U.S. Department of Labor announced June 15 that $1.25 million in grants from the department's Women's Bureau will be made available to research and analyze how paid leave programs can be developed and implemented nationwide. Senior Advisor to the President Valerie Jarrett and U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez have been traveling the country to drum up support for paid leave, which is a priority of the Obama administration. According to DOL, a number of state and local governments have adopted or are now considering paid leave legislation, and the grant program will enable similar actions in other jurisdictions.
The grants were announced at a Google+ Hangout hosted by Women's Bureau Director Latifa Lyles and included as a "virtual stop" on the Jarrett/Perez "Lead on Leave" tour.
"Too many workers across the U.S. lack even a single day of paid leave to care for their families or themselves," Perez said after the announcement. "A worker shouldn't be forced to choose between employment they need and the family they love. These grants will help states and cities lead on paid leave and give more working families the flexibility they need."
"These grants will encourage the development of programs that will benefit businesses and enable all workers, especially those in low wage jobs, to take time off to care for themselves and their families without risking their economic security," said Jarrett.
For more information on the tour, visit http://www.dol.gov/paidleave.