Why Time’s Up President Tina Tchen Wants Paid Leave for All
Dispatches from the Paid Leave for All Bus Tour: New York, New York
Blog Post
Aug. 5, 2021
From August 2-13, 2021, Paid Leave for All will be rolling through 14 stops in 10 states to share and hear stories from workers and businesses, to celebrate state successes, and to amplify the need for paid family and medical leave for all working people and families in the United States. Read more about the 2021 Paid Leave For All Bus Tour here.
New York, NY, Aug. 4 — I had the privilege of joining the Paid Leave for All on its bus tour stop at Marcus Garvey Park in New York City. The bus tour stops in Albany and NYC included compelling remarks from lawmakers, high-profile activists, and small business owners, urging Congress to pass a national paid leave policy to benefit all workers in the forthcoming budget resolution.
I met Rubi Jones, a hair-stylist from NYC, who shared why the fight for a national paid leave policy matters to her — as a business owner, a worker, and a mother. Rubi had to shut down her salon when the pandemic hit. The experience of losing the physical space where she worked prompted her to launch Salon Care, an initiative that recognizes the important role that hairstylists play in society, builds community, and mobilizes hairdressers to take collective action. First up: a national paid family and medical leave policy for all workers.
The U.S. is one of the only countries in the world that doesn’t guarantee any form of paid leave, yet this critical policy has support from people across political parties all over the country. Hearing Rubi’s story reaffirmed my belief that no one should have to choose between caring for their families or for themselves and doing their job. Everyone, no matter where they work, must be able to take time off when they need it — and we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to secure this fundamental right. The time for action is now. We need paid leave for all.
Visit PaidLeaveforAll.org and follow Paid Leave for All on Instagram and Twitter for more information on the bus tour and on ways to get involved in winning paid family and medical leave for all.
The views and opinions expressed by the authors of this series are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of New America.