Public Comment

International comparisons of social and political services provided to a nation’s citizens is certainly not flattering to the United States. The US is the only industrial country without a medical leave policy. In many countries where employees want to take care of a seriously sick family member they are paid for some of the time taken off from work. In the United States federal employees are allowed up to 12 weeks of time off. However, the caretakers, who are mainly women, are unpaid.  

Before we can consider what options working women have as caretakers, let us first take a look at their personal and economic situation. Not least, caring for sick or elderly family members is still, according to the research, mostly women’s work. Also, many of these women who work as caretakers have to cope with exhaustion, isolation, and depression. So working as caretakers can be quite draining. 

Their very low income compared to male earnings adds to their tension. Women make up more than 2/3rds of the low wage workers. That is, they earn a poverty wage of $11 or less. And their unemployment rate exceeds 15 percent. Although women make up 46 percent of the workforce they experience 54 percent of the jobs lost.  

In addition, many of their obligations often include very difficult non-wage responsibilities -- childcare, caring for the elderly, taking care of sick relatives, cooking, and cleaning.  

In the United States, although the role of the federal government is minimal, six states, Washington D.C. and San Francisco provide some medical leave options. They offer in the aggregate medical leave service to 14 percent of the American public. On the whole, these programs are not very generous. Rhode Island, for example,allows employees only up to 4 weeks of care. San Francisco employers can limit the paid sick leave to 72 hour, which on a full time basis would be less than two full days.. In short, the paid sick leave programs do not suffer from being too generous. 

The state which offers among the best medical leave programs is California. In brief, employees can take up to eight weeks to care for a family member. Governor Newsom in June increased the number from six weeks. Also, caretakers can receive up to 70 percent of their salary. But even the best programs are inadequate. It is not just because salaries take a substantial cut. The duration of service is often shorter than needed. 

Of course states and cities should do what they can. But only the federal government can provide the resources that are needed. However, just more is never enough. The spending must be based on ethical and humane considerations, which so far have been absent.