Walsh Moore files “Missouri Earned Family and Medical Leave Act”

Bill would offer up to six weeks of paid leave

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — State Rep. Bridget Walsh Moore, D-St. Louis, filed the Missouri Earned Family and Medical Leave Act granting up to six weeks of paid leave to every employee in the state.

“I have always been a proud proponent of paid family or medical leave, but now, I have a new appreciation for the struggles working parents face with the birth of my son, Finn, last December,” Walsh Moore said. “Parents from developed countries around the world get to bond with their new child: why do Missourians deserve any less?”

The United States is the only developed country that does not offer paid family and medical leave. Current federal laws guarantee all employees up to 12 weeks of family or medical leave, but employees remain at the mercy of their employer if they receive pay while taking that much-needed time. While some employers offer paid leave to certain employees, Walsh Moore says far too many people — especially those with low incomes — do not typically receive those benefits.

However, nine other states — California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington — have started their own programs to compensate for the federal government’s oversight.

Walsh Moore believes Missouri should also fulfill this essential need.

“Our system lets too many families fall through the cracks, and those who most need those benefits from their employers are least likely to receive them,” Walsh Moore said. “This bill closes that gap and helps prevent people from falling into poverty if they need to take time off to care for their own or their family’s health and well-being.”

The legislation is House Bill 2822.