At Integrated Work, we have always wanted to support our team members as they grow and support their families. Long before any laws required it, we offered flexible time off to team members experiencing family transitions, and a few years ago we added four weeks of half-time pay for new parents or medical emergencies. It still felt like too little, but we were glad to be able to do something. As a CEO whose children are now in their late teens, I was committed to the rising generation of team members having more support than I had 20 years ago.

Thankfully, over the last few years, many states have successfully enacted policies that enable paid leave to be funded through modest payroll contributions. The evidence is unequivocal: Paid family leave alleviates financial burdens, promotes a healthier work-life balance, and enhances productivity and team loyalty. As a small business, we significantly expanded our paid family leave policies because of state-sponsored programs in states where our staff live, like Colorado, California, Washington, and New Jersey. We recognize that such policies are essential for fostering supportive, equitable workplaces, and we extend comparable benefits to team members who live in states that have not yet passed their own legislation.

As a nationwide employer, it has changed the calculus. I predict that states implementing these beneficial programs will find their workforce in greater and greater demand over time. As we move through a period when new policies and proposals are introduced at the state and national level, we feel renewed hope for meaningful changes that allow us to support our employees in human-first ways. Among these, the proposal for an expanded paid family and medical leave program represents a transformative step toward supporting parents, caregivers, and low-wage workers. This proposed nationwide legislation would address the critical needs of those who often face the greatest economic challenges and includes provisions that benefit diverse family structures, including LGBTQ+ families, and those who provide care to ill or aging family members.

The View from Our Backyard: The Impact of Colorado’s FAMLI Act

In Colorado, the passage of the Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) Act has significantly influenced how we evolved the structure of our leave policies. It has always been important to me that any benefit we provided was a “real” benefit, in that we could afford to fund it even if many people used it at once. As a small business, this meant that we had to “save for a rainy day” and set aside reserves that would allow us to fund those benefits while also running the business and investing in our growth.

With the passage of the FAMLI Act, we can now provide workers with up to 12 weeks of paid leave, above and beyond other leave benefits, allowing them to take time off for personal or family health issues without sacrificing financial stability. This has enabled us to offer benefits that are more comparable with larger companies, supporting our small business in building an amazing team and retaining them. This policy doesn’t just benefit individual workers; it strengthens small, women-owned businesses like ours by helping us create a more supportive work environment.

Why Paid Family Leave Matters

Paid family leave is more than just a benefit; it’s a crucial component of a fair and just society. Here are some reasons why this policy is so important:

1. Economic Stability: Providing paid leave helps families avoid financial hardship during critical times.
2. Health and Well-Being: Time off for caregiving leads to better health outcomes for both caregivers and those they care for.
3. Workplace Productivity: Supported employees are more engaged and productive, reducing turnover and associated costs.
4. Gender Equality: Paid leave encourages shared caregiving responsibilities, supporting women’s career advancement.
5. Social Equity: Implementing this policy promotes social and economic equity, especially for low-wage workers.

Our Commitment at Integrated Work

We appreciate the hard work of everyone who has advocated for policies that recognize the invaluable contributions of caregivers not just to their families, but to the social fabric that binds us all together. At Integrated Work, we are dedicated to creating environments where everyone can thrive, supported by comprehensive family care policies. Our commitment includes:

• Implementing Supportive Policies: We promote paid leave, flexible work arrangements, and robust support systems for all employees.
• Raising Awareness: We work to raise awareness about the importance of paid family leave and other supportive workplace policies.
• Engaging with Community: We collaborate with organizations and policymakers to support the implementation of initiatives that support caregivers and families at all levels.

Join Us in the Movement

What are you doing to support this important work? We’d love to learn from you. Send your story to connect@integratedwork.com.

Together, we can advocate for a future where paid family leave is a standard practice in every workplace. Let’s build stronger, more resilient communities that value and support the essential work of caregiving.