Obama: Paid Family Leave Is A Worker’s Right!

Obama Paid Family Leave - The U.S. President is pushing for a new initiative that would surely benefit American workers.

According to USA Today, Obama wants paid family leave for workers and he is calling on to the Congress to impose this to American companies.

On Wednesday, a senior adviser confirmed that president Obama would like workers to enjoy up to seven days of paid sick leave each year.

For federal employees, Obama wants them to have at least six weeks of paid leave after child birth or adoption.

To ensure that this initiative is attainable, Obama is asking the Congress to spend $2.2 billion helping states and cities impose these paid family leave programs.

Senior adviser Valerie Jarrett said that Obama is anticipating that the said amount would be part of the budget proposal that will be released next month, AZ Central has learned.

Obama's paid family leave program will reportedly allow workers to get a paid leave when they are either sick or are taking some time off to take care of sick family member/s.

Employers who already provide such type of program are requested not to change their policies as long as they match the specifics of Obama's initiative.

As of late, about 40 million U.S. private-sector workers do not have any type of paid sick leave.

"This is not a partisan issue," Jarrett said. "This is a family issue, and it's an economic issue."

"How many Americans have to show up to work when battling an illness even when they know they won't be at their best, it will lengthen their recovery time, and they may likely spread their sickness to others?" Jarrett added.

However, while the latest president's effort seem to show promise to U.S. employees, the National Federation of Independent Business - which represents small businesses - is opposing Obama's paid family leave program.

"It ripples through the economy in ways the advocates and the president, I think, sometimes don't see," spokesman Jack Mozloom said.

Last year, Obama allowed a budget of $500,000 for feasibility studies for three states and the District of Columbia. The results were used in creating the paid family leave programs, KDVR reports.