TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV/Gray Florida Capital Bureau) – Nearly 200,000 families could benefit under a potential statewide paid family leave plan as Florida’s costs continue to climb, according to the Florida Policy Institute.
About 8.5 million people across Florida don’t have access to paid family leave. A Florida Policy Institute report found it’s costing $2.8 billion in lost wages.
“This is a big part of the affordability crisis here in Florida,” said Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando.
Smith sponsored a bill to expand paid family leave for state workers. Currently, new mothers receive seven weeks, and fathers and adoptive parents receive two weeks. The goal is 12 weeks for both parents without using sick or annual leave.
“This is an initiative that doesn’t only make economic sense. It supports maternal health. It improves infant health and early childhood development. It helps stabilize families. It just makes good sense for Floridians,” Smith said.
The Florida Policy Institute analyzed four options for a statewide paid leave policy, ranging from eight weeks to 12 weeks. The plans would benefit up to 366,000 working families.
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Researchers like Alexis Tsoukalas with the Florida Policy Institute said the policies would help the state’s economy.
“What happens is without paid leave, parents are forced to choose between their jobs and their new children, and they’re less likely to remain employed overall in the short term, especially women, because ultimately they’re going to choose the time with their family,” Tsoukalas said.
The Bipartisan Policy Center said 14 states require paid family leave. Florida is one of nine states where companies can offer it voluntarily.
“We want to ensure success for all Floridians, especially those who are building a family. They shouldn’t have to choose between building a family and earning a paycheck. This is something that just makes good sense,” Smith said.
Insurance plans to cover paid family leave would cost families between $32 and $350 a year, according to the Florida Policy Institute.
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