Guaranteed paid parental leave is both a workers’ rights and a women’s rights issue. All workers, regardless of their gender identity or family configuration, should be guaranteed this right.
Research shows that direct contact with parents during the first three months are crucial to the immediate and long-term health and development of a child. It is unacceptable that thousands of working people in Seattle – and their newborn children – do not enjoy this basic human right. This includes employees for the City of Seattle.
Councilmembers can correct this immediately by supporting a budget amendment that will allocate roughly $1.5 million to fund 12 weeks paid parental leave for all city workers. This builds on the important step the City Council just took guaranteeing 4 weeks of paid parental leave to City employees. This will also provide momentum to win paid parental leave next year for all workers in Seattle.
We need your help to get this passed! Here’s what you can do:
1) Email Councilmembers NOW! Urge them to support the budget amendment funding 12 weeks of paid parental leave for city employees.
Here is an example email. Please send it or a version of your own to: council@seattle.gov.
SUBJECT: Support 12 Weeks of Paid Parental Leave for Seattle City Employees!
Dear Seattle City Councilmember,
I am writing to urge you to support the budget amendment to fund 12 weeks of paid parental leave for city employees.
Research shows that direct contact with parents during the first three months are crucial to the immediate and long-term health and development of a child. It is unacceptable that thousands of working people in Seattle, including city workers and their newborn children, do not enjoy this basic human right.
Please correct this immediately by supporting the budget amendment to fund 12 weeks of paid parental leave for city employees.
Sincerely,
2) Call Councilmembers! Tell them to support the budget amendment to fund 12 weeks of paid parental leave for city employees.
SALLY BAGSHAW – 206-684-8801; TIM BURGESS – 206-684-8806;
JEAN GODDEN – 206-684-8807; BRUCE HARRELL – 206-684-8804;
NICK LICATA – 206-684-8803; MIKE O’BRIEN – 206-684-8800;
JOHN OKAMOTO – 206-684-8802; TOM RASMUSSEN – 206-684-8808
3) Then Come to City Hall for Critical Budget Votes – Monday, November 16, 10 am at Seattle City Hall.
Councilmembers will vote on which changes they want to make to the budget. We need your help to pack City Hall to urge Councilmembers to approve every amendment to improve this year’s Seattle City budget.