By Trent Hatley

With all of the issues facing our nation today, it’s often easy to miss the opportunities right in front of us. As a conservative, I believe that families act as the foundation of our society. Yet we are continuing to see inaction from our elected officials when it comes to policies that would deliver concrete benefits for American parents and children — policies that enjoy widespread public support and have proponents on both sides of the aisle in Congress. A perfect example of this is national paid family and medical leave. 

Policy solutions to expand paid family and medical leave are very popular among voters. This holds true across political parties. Surveys in recent years have shown that over 80 percent of American voters support paid leave programs, with support almost equally high among likely Republican voters. And it’s no wonder why this policy has such widespread appeal. All Americans would benefit in one way or another from wider access to paid family and medical leave – especially American workers. 

Surveys in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic showed that having a paid family leave program in place would actually incentivize Americans to get back to work and that many of the Americans who had left the workforce at the time would have been willing to return sooner if their employer offered paid family leave. It makes sense, as workers would have the flexibility they need to remain employed while still being able to put family first and take care of their loved ones. 

Furthermore, studies point to paid family leave as not only helping the American workforce but also newborn children and mothers who would benefit from long-term health benefits stemming from the law. For example, a national paid family leave program could lead to a substantial reduction in infant mortality rates across demographics. This is because paid leave gives families more time and financial resources to help parents best take care of themselves and their children with, for example, more nutritious food and less maternal stress during and after pregnancy.  

Despite the clear public support and straightforward gains for working families, our elected officials have failed to do the work necessary to achieve this victory for the American people. The United States remains today the only high-income country without a national paid family and medical leave program in place. As of 2022, only 24 percent of private sector workers in the U.S. had access to paid family leave.   

Republicans, especially, have been missing their opportunity to lead on the issue and push a solution over the finish line that prioritizes conservative principles and ensures any final deal is paid for and sustainable. Fortunately, recent developments offer a glimmer of hope. In December, the House bipartisan working group on paid leave, which was formed in early 2023, joined forces with a revamped group of senators to build momentum on the issue heading into 2024. 

North Carolina’s own Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) has been helping to lead these talks. Most recently, this group released a Request for Information (RFI) to solicit ideas from stakeholders to enhance access to paid family leave. While there’s still much more work to be done on ironing out a comprehensive plan for expanding paid leave, Senator Tillis is presenting the kind of conservative leadership we need on the issue to ensure a final product is fiscally responsible, pro-family, and pro-workforce development. 

As we enter an election year, keeping our priorities straight is important. American families need help, and national paid family leave would be a monumental first step. Conservatives should meet the moment and ensure that 2024 is a year of progress for American families. 

Trent Hatley serves as a Stanly County Commissioner.