Family Values @ Work

A Child Care Paradox: Families on Waitlists, Centers Underenrolled Families struggle to secure affordable care, while some child care programs operate below capacity.

We can't say we are a nation that cares about family when so many are unable to afford or access child care. #childcare

https://www.the74million.org/zero2eight/a-child-care-paradox-families-on-waitlists-centers-underenrolled/

The State of the Union Is the State of Care When politicians assess the “state of the union,” they focus on concepts like the stock market or on partisan fights in Congress. But a more revealing measure tells us far more about the health of our country: the state of care. Today, millions of famil...

The real “state of the union” isn’t the stock or crypto markets — it’s the state of care. If families can’t afford child care or take paid leave, our economy isn’t working.
Read more 👇 #SOTU
https://familyvaluesatwork.org/the-state-of-the-union-is-the-state-of-care/

As the US population ages, more employees are seeking caregiver benefits at work More than 63 million Americans provide care for an adult family member, and most of them have regular paid jobs as well, according to AARP.

At some point in our lives, each of us will need to give care — or receive it. If you needed to take time off today to care for yourself or a loved one, could you afford to? #caregiver

https://apnews.com/article/work-career-aging-caregiver-benefits-1f287e40a206e1a7f0012b5146b81713

Virginia Dems pass bills for family, medical and paid sick leave - Virginia Business Legislation creating a state family and medical leave insurance program and a measure requiring employers to provide paid sick leave are progressing in Virginia's legislature.

We’re cheering on advocates in Virginia this week as they move forward on their paid leave journey. Every step forward brings working families closer to the time and support they deserve to #care.
https://virginiabusiness.com/virginia-dems-pass-bills-for-family-medical-and-paid-sick-leave/

Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib introduces bill to expand Head Start Democratic Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib says the legislation would ensure more than 11 million young children from low-income families can access high-quality early education.

Congratulations to Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12) and the Mamas Caucus for championing this critical effort. We’re rooting for its success. #headstart #care
https://www.michiganpublic.org/politics-government/2026-02-20/michigan-congresswoman-rashida-tlaib-introduces-bill-to-expand-head-start

Gillibrand, colleagues: Give paid sick leave to American workers WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY introduced legislation to guarantee paid sick leave for workers across the country. The bill, cosponsored by Senator Bernie Sanders, I…

We commend Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) for reintroducing the Healthy Families Act, legislation that would establish paid sick time for all.
https://www.oneidadispatch.com/2026/02/21/gillibrand-colleagues-give-paid-sick-leave-to-american-workers/

‘We have to keep showing up for each other': In Minnesota, caregiving is a form of resistance School pickups, diaper runs and mutual aid funds are central to how many Minnesotans are challenging the militarization of their state.

Care is how we keep communities safe.
https://19thnews.org/2026/02/minnesota-mutual-aid-caregiving-ice-resistance/

#PaidLeave would help all Virginians – not only new parents, but also families with elder care needs.

Every working person at some point needs time away from work to give or receive care. All eyes on Virginia for making the next move! https://bit.ly/4jzpTUC

From Law to Launch: Steps to Build a New Paid Leave Program Why it takes time, resources, and political support to effectively implement a paid leave program

Passing a law to guarantee #PaidLeaveForAll is just the first step.

Learn more from @newamerica.org about what state governments need to tackle to make sure their new paid leave programs launch successfully. https://bit.ly/4qU3jsA

More than a dozen states have comprehensive, universal paid leave programs that guarantee broad access to workers with health and care needs. New Hampshire tried a different approach – but is it working? Learn more: https://bit.ly/49QgW6e

How the Trump administration's freeze on child care funding will affect families NPR's A Martinez asks Cindy Lehnhoff, director of the National Child Care Association, about the Trump administration's freeze on federal funding to help low-income families pay for child care.

The Administration is putting children, families, and providers at risk—destabilizing families, threatening the closure of small child care businesses, and damaging our broader economy, all while doing nothing to address the ongoing child care crisis. #FundChildCare https://n.pr/3YXIrEG

Big change for Delawareans happened on January 1! Shout out to the advocates on the ground in the First State and at Delaware Cares for getting this info out.

Without federal #childcare funding, thousands of Minnesota families will be without childcare. That's thousands of parents that cannot go to work. That's thousands of jobs that will not get done. It affects all of us. Tell your legislators!

https://bit.ly/ReleaseCCFunds

Minnesota families and child care providers scramble as federal funds hang in balance | CNN In the days since the Trump administration announced it would freeze federal child care payments to Minnesota amid an alleged fraud investigation, fear and confusion have spread almost as fast as the viral video that launched the scandal.

One of the most thorough articles about what a federal childcare funding freeze will mean...shoutout to all of our speakers who very vulnerably shared their stories.
https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/03/us/child-care-fraud-minnesota

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You have hours left to make a tax-deductible donation and power the care movement into 2026.

Our network has launched paid leave programs, grew paid sick time, and expanded family definitions across 27 states. Now, we focus on the 63 million who are still excluded. https://bit.ly/4s2Q7Tj

🚨 20 Million People Are About to See a Healthcare Price Hike If Congress doesn’t act by Dec 31, health insurance premiums will skyrocket for millions of families.

Millions of families rely on ACA tax credits to afford health care and those savings are at risk. Tell Congress: protect the ACA tax credits that keep care within reach.

Contact your reps with a few quick clicks ➡️ https://bit.ly/3MILGNp

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63 million Americans still don't have access to paid leave. Our 2026 goal is clear: expanding access where programs exist and launching new policies in communities where families are waiting.

Can you power our first steps into the new year? https://bit.ly/2rFd8z2

🚨 20 Million People Are About to See a Healthcare Price Hike If Congress doesn’t act by Dec 31, health insurance premiums will skyrocket for millions of families.

Health care shouldn’t disappear because of political gridlock. ACA tax credits lower costs and expand access. Congress must act to save them before the end of the year. https://bit.ly/3MILGNp

Wisconsin lawmakers call for paid family and medical leave A group of Wisconsin lawmakers introduced a bill on Tuesday that would establish paid family and medical leave in the state.

Workers in the Badger state need time to care! And now that opportunity is getting closer for Wisconsin families.. #PaidLeaveForAll https://bit.ly/4pGL2yp

🚨 20 Million People Are About to See a Healthcare Price Hike If Congress doesn’t act by Dec 31, health insurance premiums will skyrocket for millions of families.

Affordable health care is our right. Without ACA tax credits, millions could lose coverage and/or face skyrocketing costs.

Demand Congress to act before December 31 ➡️ https://bit.ly/3MILGNp

Many people work part-time so they can take care of their families. But that shouldn’t mean they get paid less than full-time workers for doing the same job! It's time for a change.

Join us in supporting the #PartTimeWorker Bill of Rights.

Workers’ Voices: Why Working Parents Like Me Need Fair and Predictable Schedules - A Better Balance "My job at the restaurant is how I feed my kids and put a roof over our heads. I try to work as many hours as I can in order to provide for them, but my employer’s scheduling practices make it extreme...

"My job at the restaurant is how I feed my kids and put a roof over our heads… My employer’s scheduling practices make it extremely difficult for me to have steady, predictable hours and income." Working parents like Alma need the #SchedulesThatWork Act. https://bit.ly/44RyM6b @abetterbalance.org

Tell Congress: Support the Schedules That Work Act and the Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights Workers deserve fair treatment and control over their lives!

Workers deserve predictable schedules and respect on the job. Let's make sure everyone has #SchedulesThatWork and a #FairWorkWeek to give workers control over their work hours. nwlc.org/stwa

Today @warren.senate.gov @delauro.house.gov and @schakowsky.house.gov reintroduced the #SchedulesThatWork Act and the #PartTimeWorker Bill of Rights Act to make sure workers get the fair treatment they deserve at work, with a predictable schedule and a reliable paycheck.

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New parents bonding with their baby. Workers prioritizing health. Children caring for parents during an emergency. This is a world where paid leave wins.

Millions still don't have this right: will you help us get them covered?

Donate now: https://bit.ly/helpuswin2025

Parents who welcomed children this year can soon apply for 2026 bonding leave The Department of Employment and Economic Development said it would open a portal for parents to pre-apply for paid family leave in 2026 if they welcomed a child this year.

New parents in Minnesota can start applying for #PaidLeave to have extra time to bond with their children in 2026. That time helps improve infant and maternal health, and encourages dads' bonding and involvement in parenting. https://bit.ly/48SAaXb

Workers’ Voices: Without Real Paid Medical Leave, My Broken Arm Means I’m Struggling to Put Food on the Table - A Better Balance "I think New York needs protections that are easier to parse through for the average person, more encompassing of the needs of people in the modern economy, and more protective towards the vulnerable ...

A broken arm shouldn't mean you can't make ends meet, or that you should get penalized at work. #PaidLeave prioritizes your time to recover. @abetterbalance.org https://bit.ly/4pu4Q89

Delaware Paid Leave to open for claims in 2026 Employees around Delaware have been paying into a statewide family and medical leave program for a year and, come Jan. 1, they will finally gain access to Delaware paid leave in the event of a crisis,...

Starting January 1, most workers in Delaware will finally have access to #PaidLeave! Having time to care for one's health and family means people can focus on what matters most when medical emergencies strike. delawarebusinesstimes.com/news/delawar...

“Two-thirds of Americans report they are living paycheck to paycheck, meaning they could not pay their bills if they became unemployed,” Delaware Paid Leave director Chris Counihan shares. “Delaware Paid Leave fills an urgent need for members of our workforce."

YouTube video by Senator Andy Kim My Dad’s Alzheimer’s Diagnosis and Becoming a Caregiver

A few weeks ago, my dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. I won’t lie—it's been incredibly challenging for me and my family.

Now, I’m embarking on a journey to answer the questions so many of us face when it comes to providing care for our loved ones.

I hope you’ll join me.