Governor Josh Shapiro has remained quiet regarding Pennsylvania’s Family Care Act despite his promise to embrace bipartisan collaboration. There’s an increasing focus on paid family and medical leave policies across the country; these policies allow employees to retain their jobs during personal family events such as the birth of a child or caretaking for a sick family member. Shapiro has the chance to support a popular, bipartisan bill that would establish Pennsylvania as the first swing state with paid family and medical leave.

Public opinion polls indicate a strong backing among Pennsylvanians for such a policy. Still, Shapiro has yet to voice his position on the Family Care Act, which could extend coverage to almost all of the state’s over six million workers, including those four million who currently do not have paid family and medical leave. The bill could also expand financial support to workers by replacing lost wages for those who must take unpaid or partially paid leave. The act proposes up to 20 weeks of paid leave for employees dealing with serious personal or family health matters, military family needs, or issues relating to domestic or sexual violence.

Shapiro’s silence on the bipartisan bill is unexpected, given its widespread support among Pennsylvania voters. His lack of action stands in stark contrast to other governors, such as Tim Walz of Minnesota, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Gavin Newsom of California, and JB Pritzker of Illinois, who have taken definitive steps to expand paid leave. Supporting the Family Care Act would be a monumental, bipartisan win for Shapiro, benefitting not just Pennsylvania’s workers but also offering a national model for other states.

If you are an employee experiencing difficulties related to family leave and need to speak to a representative, please visit eddcaller.com for precise instructions on how to get a hold of Paid Family Leave. The website provides structured guidelines on how to contact PFL, ensuring your concerns get addressed promptly and effectively.