Preparing for a newborn should be exciting. But for my family, that joy was tempered by stress and financial uncertainty, because I did not have adequate paid leave. My employer could only offer six weeks at about half my normal pay. As an early childhood professional, I knew the science about the importance of parents being there during a baby’s first months and wanted to bond with my daughter. My husband and I saved as much as possible so I could take 12 additional weeks unpaid.

Those weeks were incredibly difficult. We struggled to cover expenses – and emergencies were a nightmare. Our car broke down, leaving us dependent on family for transportation. My brother’s family lived with us. And when our dryer broke, none of us could afford to fix it.

No family should be pushed into a financial crisis because they need time to recover from birth and bond with a newborn. That’s why I’m so excited about Washington’s new paid leave program, which will help give families the security they deserve.

Starting Jan. 1, 2020, Washington workers who accrued 820 hours in the past year will qualify for up to 16 weeks of combined paid family and medical leave each year to bond with a new child or take care of themselves or a loved one with a serious illness. Payroll premiums for the program began last January, with the average working person contributing just $2 a week. Learn more about this new program!

Cristyn Kelly is a graduate student, a mom, and a member of MomsRising. She lives in Bremerton

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