Family is family. It’s all about the love.
Together, we can expand paid leave policies to include all families and the way they love, care and show up for each other.
When families can care for each other, everyone benefits.
No one should have to choose between caring for a loved one and being able to pay their bills.
Paid leave provides stability and peace of mind to families during the most challenging of times. But when these programs are based on an extremely limited definition of “family,” they exclude millions of people and their real-world experiences.
Families span generations, extended relatives, and loved ones not related by blood or marriage — particularly for people of color, immigrants, refugees and asylees, people with disabilities, people in rural and low-income households and members of the LGBTQ+ community. All of these communities are disproportionately affected by narrow definitions of family. Every family looks different, but our need to care for one another is universal.
This Is My Family
Magally’s story
“I’ve always gone out of my way to protect my little brother. Any big sister, especially a Latina big sister, knows how important that relationship is.”
– Magally
Yee Won’s story
“Families show up and care for each other. When we do that, we’re happier, healthier and stronger as a community.”
– Yee Won
Dannie and Yvette’s story
“This is a really big gap that needs to be filled in order for our community to not only live a healthy life, but to live a long-lasting life.”
– Dannie
Nicole’s story
“With access to paid leave, there’s financial security that means we can continue to show up for each other.”
– Nicole
Kieran & Riley’s story
“Having a family member who can help care for the baby and be a support to the parents is such a gamechanger.”
– Kieran
We all need time to care
80%
of U.S. households aren’t represented by the “nuclear family” model of a married husband and wife and their children.
32%
of U.S. workers have taken time off to care for a loved one who is not legally or biologically related.
80%
of small businesses across 12 states support paid leave laws with a broad, inclusive definition of family.
Join the national movement to strengthen and support working families with access to paid leave.
Share your story
Have you ever taken time off of work to care for a loved one who needed you? Are you or your family member one of the millions of people who would benefit from more inclusive paid leave policies? We’d love to hear your story.
About the campaign
This Is My Family is a project of The Family Justice Network, convened by A Better Balance and Family Values at Work.
