Today, Governor Dayton, legislators, and Minnesotans from faith, labor, and nonprofit groups are joining together to rally for paid family leave.

Last week, the Senate passed paid family and medical leave as part of their omnibus tax bill, but unfortunately, the Republican controlled House doesn’t have paid family leave on their agenda.

Here are just a few reasons why expanding paid family and medical leave is the right thing to do for all Minnesotans:

• Americans overwhelmingly support expanding paid leave.
• The current patchwork system of paid leave offered by employers leaves many Minnesotans without any paid time off to care for a new baby or a sick loved one.
• The Family and Medical Leave Act (current law) provides few workers with paid time off, forcing many to work when they should be taking care of their families.
• The US is behind other developed nations, who ALL guarantee paid maternity leave (paid family leave could be used for maternity leave).
• Paid family leave will go a long way toward recognizing that the way Minnesotans live and work has changed, and will build a better future for working families.