Michelle Caldier likes to represent herself as a family values candidate, however that is not supported by her voting record.
In 2016 the people of Washington State voted into law Initiative I-1433, a referendum that provides for PFML (paid family and medical leave). This insurance program provides reasonable paid family leave for the birth or placement of a child with the employee, for the care of a family member who has a serious health condition and provides reasonable paid medical leave for an employee's own serious health condition. The severe need for this critical support has been harshly underlined by the COVID 19 crisis.
In 2016 the people of Washington State voted into law Initiative I-1433, a referendum that provides for PFML (paid family and medical leave). This insurance program provides reasonable paid family leave for the birth or placement of a child with the employee, for the care of a family member who has a serious health condition and provides reasonable paid medical leave for an employee's own serious health condition. The severe need for this critical support has been harshly underlined by the COVID 19 crisis.
Allowing families to care for an ill loved one, or be together during the early weeks after the birth of a baby without financial stress and hardship creates stronger families and thus, a stronger community. PFML benefits everyone.
In 2016 57.4% the people of Washington voted overwhelmingly for I-1433 to make this reality. In 2017, a bill, SB 5975 (prime sponsored by a Republican senator), was introduced requiring the employment security department to establish and administer the PMFL program and pay family and medical leave benefits. This bill received wide bipartisan support in both the house and senate and was signed into law July 5, 2017. This law allows people to take 16 weeks (18 weeks if there are pregnancy complications) of reasonable paid family leave for the birth or placement of a child with the employee, for the care of a family member or provide reasonable paid medical leave for an employee's own serious health condition.
This bill will cost the state nothing, not one penny. It is funded like Social Security and Unemployment Insurance by payroll deduction from the employee and employer. The employee is providing their own social safety net through payroll deductions.
CALDIER VOTED NO on SB 5975 - 2017-18 House passed; yeas, 65; nays, 29; Senate passed yeas, 37; nays, 12.
Some people will say she cast only one vote against PFML but that is not true. Caldier has voted NO in 2020 on two other separate occasions against additional PFML bills that fix technicalities in the first bills.
Feb 13, 2020 HB 2614 - 2019-20
Concerning paid family and medical leave.
passed; yeas, 60; nays, 37; Caldier NO
Feb 28, 2020 HB 1399 - 2019-20
Concerning paid family and medical leave.
March 1, 2019 passed; yeas, 71; nays, 23;
Caldier NO
Whether it is taking time off for a family member coping with significant end of life illness or building lifelong bonds with a sweet cuddly newborn child, Michelle Caldier has consistently voted against Washingtonians receiving paid leave for those life events. In review, the majority of Washingtonians are for PMFL and the bipartisan majority of the legislature is for PMFL.
Why is Caldier so out of step on this issue?
Time for a change in Olympia, we need a representative who supports families in their time of need.
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Stay tuned as ‘Shine a Light on the Right’ focuses on Caldier’s extreme minority NO votes in the Health arena showing connections to her many corporate sponsors. We will be taking an in depth look at bills that had bipartisan support while Caldier voted NO on bills about Medicare fraud, tribal dental services, ACA, Paid Family Leave, reproductive rights, prescription drug prices, a cap of $100 insulin cost, Opioid help, Telemedicine, meal & rest breaks for nurses plus more.