RALEIGH, N.C. — Lawmakers have introduced a bill that would guarantee paid family and medical leave for all North Carolina workers.

Only a small percentage of North Carolina's workers have paid family leave, and most people eligible for unpaid leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act typically can't afford to take it. A new study from Duke University found paid family leave would increase labor force participation and employee retention, and would also improve workers' health.

Report co-author Anna Gassman-Pines, associate professor of public policy, psychology and neuroscience at Duke, explained.

"You know, why it's been difficult to have paid family and medical leave is a really good question. I mean we are certainly an outlier as a country; globally, we're one of only a handful of countries that don't provide family and medical leave for our citizens,” Gassman-Pines said. “I think the biggest reason is that, in general, there is opposition to these types of programs from businesses."

The study also found paid family and medical leave improves infant health, lowers infant mortality, and reduces the use of nursing-home care, by giving families the support needed to care for older relatives at home. House Bill 696 is co-sponsored by Rep. Asif Majeed, a Democrat, and nearly 20 other legislators.

Durham resident Kim Swanson found out she'd gotten her dream job in Raleigh. The next day, she found out she was pregnant, and she did not have paid leave when she gave birth to a baby girl. Shortly after getting home from the hospital, Swanson said, her husband lost his job.

"And I went back to work part-time at my position in Raleigh when she was just five weeks old. As a result of that, I ended up getting mastitis,” Swanson said. “My midwife said that it was likely brought on by stress. I was also diagnosed with postpartum depression, and still struggle with and receive treatment for anxiety and depression today."

Swanson said the combined stress of new parenthood and not having a reliable source of income has had lasting effects.

"It's an unfortunate situation that a lot of North Carolinians face,” she said. “I think that when we have our babies, we want to be joyful, and we want to make sure that we can provide for them, and we want to enjoy them. But what we experienced is fear in not knowing whether or not we were even going to be able to pay for the items that my baby needed."

House Bill 696 would allow workers to apply for family and medical leave insurance benefits that would cover them from 12-26 weeks, depending on eligibility requirements.


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Workers at a hospital on the Oregon coast are citing a victory in contract negotiations with their employer.

More than 100 members of SEIU Local 49 at Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital in Lincoln City will receive raises averaging 10% over the first year of their new contract. Brittany King, a CT special imaging technologist at the hospital, said many workers have been struggling to afford living in the community, and this raise makes the hospital's wages competitive with the local job market.

"There are a lot of members," she said, "that told me specifically that, 'I think this is a wage that I can live with, that means I don't have to leave Samaritan.'"

King said workers have dealt with a number of tragedies in recent years, including the pandemic and 2020 wildfires. Their new contract also expands education funding.

Rachel Eggleton, a certified nursing assistant at the hospital, said workers rallied over Memorial Day weekend when contract negotiations stalled and the community members showed their support.

"Once they saw us out in the rain rallying," she said, "they realized, 'OK, maybe there's something wrong. Maybe we need to help out our health-care workers, because they've been there through thick and thin for the entire pandemic, regardless of whatever's happening.' We still provided the care that they needed."

Eggleton said this support has been key.

"Getting everybody involved and getting the community involved," she said, "it will always bring us better things."

A new Minnesota law, which goes into effect Sunday, removes requirements restricting Social Security recipients from receiving full jobless benefits as well.

Bill sponsors noted Minnesota was the last state to have the offset requirement. It reduced by 50% unemployment aid for laid-off workers who, within the first year, either received or started to apply for Social Security.

Kate Schaefers, volunteer state president of AARP Minnesota, said it had a profound effect on older workers as the pandemic began to take shape. She pointed to testimony from a Rochester man who had worked part-time in retail and lost his job but had no unemployment benefits to supplement his income.

"He told us that he cut back on expenses, including his medication, because he couldn't afford them living just off of his Social Security check," Schaefers recounted.

Schaefers pointed out they are disappointed the changes are not retroactive, leaving out many residents devastated by the crisis. But she noted supporters secured a compromise with the Senate by starting the repeal date this year, as opposed to waiting longer to appease concerns about the unemployment fund's balance.

Schaefers said looking ahead, the repeal will be beneficial to the growing number of older adults who cannot afford to solely rely on their pension in the face of rising consumer costs.

"This is a key part of their retirement ... continued work," Schaefers explained. "This is going to benefit them if they get laid off; that they can access those unemployment benefits."

The group estimated 16% of Minnesotans 62 and older receiving Social Security are still in the labor force. It added the benefits are modest, averaging nearly $1,600 a month in Minnesota.

The so-called "great resignation" isn't playing out for all workers. A new survey covering North Dakota and Minnesota shows people on the lower end of the income scale face obstacles in jumping to other job opportunities.

The Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank, along with Community Action agencies in both states, heard from more than 200 individuals, mainly working in social services, education and health care. Most expressed a desire to move up the career ladder, but said they lack the resources to learn new skills, or that expenses such as child care get in the way.

Erick Garcia Luna, regional outreach director at the Minneapolis Fed, said it becomes more pronounced for people earning very little in their current job.

"If a family is making minimum wage," he said, "they're going to have a harder time taking the time, for example, to get trained for another job."

Nearly 60% of respondents making between $10,000 and $25,000 dollars a year said it's either "somewhat or very difficult" to make an occupational change. Community Action Partnership of North Dakota said the survey also revealed these individuals are finding it harder to meet basic needs amid rising inflation, but also can't afford to pursue a better-paying job.

Ashley Littlewolf, workforce development case manager lead at the Southeastern North Dakota Community Action Agency, said she sees a lot of overlap with these barriers.

"They're feeding each other, the barriers are increasing each other," she said. "That need for new skills, and then finding the day care - and also, the jobs not paying enough."

While some employers are offering better pay, Littlewolf said the findings should prompt more action to boost starting wages. She said expanding the hiring pool can help, too.

"Taking a chance on someone who may not have that experience," she said, "but offering on-site training, offering the opportunity for them to enter that career path without the experience or education."