Good for Business.
Good for Workers.
Good for New Mexico.
PFMLA would create a program, administered by the state of New Mexico, to provide up to 12 weeks of paid leave for employees to care for a new child, a family member with a serious health concern, or their own medical condition.
New Mexicans cannot continue to wait for this vital safety net program that most of the world’s workers have had in place for years.
Join the Campaign
Whether you are a business, organization, or individual, you can play a role in assuring that New Mexico families have access to Paid Family and Medical Leave.
Please consider adding your endorsement to our campaign.
Good for Business.
Businesses that offer paid family and medical leave have a competitive advantage in recruiting and retaining top talent to their company. Large corporations are increasingly likely to offer private paid leave programs to attract and retain high-quality employees. However, most of our homegrown businesses are too small to easily absorb the costs of offering paid family and medical leave programs.
By committing to PFMLA, our state can take the burden off of small business owners, creating a safety net for them and their employees. Tech and media companies have been at the forefront of the paid leave revolution. Facebook, Netflix, and NBC Universal all offer generous paid leave benefits and are bringing those benefits to employees in their newly expanded operations in New Mexico.
New Mexico is proud to offer entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses an opportunity to innovate, experiment, and grow right here in the Land of Enchantment. PFMLA will support small businesses, improve recruitment and retention, and promote innovation to take business risks without fearing the loss of income if they or a loved one becomes unexpectedly ill.
Good for Employees.
No one should have to choose between their job and caring for a new baby, a sick family member, or their own serious health condition. Yet, that is the situation many American workers find themselves in. The U.S. is the only OECD nation that does not offer some form of paid family or medical leave.
Paid Family & Medical Leave ensures that families have the time they need to bond after welcoming a new child, time to recover from a serious health problem, and time for family caregivers to address the medical needs of their sick parents, children, or other family members.
Other states have already implemented their own PFML programs. Those state programs have demonstrated remarkable outcomes in reducing infant mortality, child abuse injuries, and nursing home usage, while improving parental physical and mental well-being.
PFML programs are also effective in improving employee performance and engagement. Studies show that employees who take paid leave are less likely to take sick leave when they return, more likely to be employed by the same business two years later, and more likely to report high morale and workplace satisfaction.
Good for New Mexico.
At some point in our working years, most New Mexicans will need to take time away from work when we welcome a new child, face a serious health issue, or the illness of a close family member. We can each do a little to make a big difference, protecting ourselves and one another from economic disruption.
New Mexico is proud to be a family-friendly state. We love, protect, and care for our own families, our neighbors, our customers, and our employees. New Mexicans deserve to know that we will come together to ensure that no family will face economic uncertainty due to a health condition or family care-giving responsibilities.
By passing the Paid Family & Medical Leave Act, New Mexico can ensure economic security for ourselves, our employees, and our communities.
How it Works.
Department of Workforce Solutions will administer the Paid Family & Medical Leave Trust Fund.
Employee and employer contributions will fund compensation payments and administration of the fund. Employers with fewer than 10 employees will be exempted from paying their portion of the contribution.
After contributing for at least six months and submitting an application to the Department, employees will receive a percentage of their average weekly wages for up to 12 weeks. Self-employed individuals can opt into the program.
Employees and self-employed individuals will receive leave compensation payments directly from the Trust Fund. During an employee’s leave period, employers will benefit from wage savings, which may be used to pay overtime wages for current employees, hire a temporary replacement, or invest in other ways.
***
RESOURCES
Paid family and medical leave proposal returning to NM Legislature: Measure would allow workers to take leave and keep their jobs via Source NM
Legislature expected to consider Paid Family & Medical Leave bill in 2023 via NM Political Report
Paid Family & Medical Leave is About Valuing Family via NMSU KRWG
Legislators hope to pass Paid Family Medical Leave Act in this year’s session via NM Political Report
Paid Family and Medical Leave is not a partisan issue via NMSU KRWG
2022 Paid Family and Medical Task Force Final Report: Report and Recommendations to the New Mexico Legislature
Download PDF — Paid Family & Medical Leave Act: Good for Business, Good for Workers, Good for New Mexico
What is Paid Family Medical Leave and Paid Sick Leave?
Video w/OLÉ New Mexico
Review 2021 Paid Leave Poll: New Mexico Voters
Download PDF Press Release: New Polling Data Shows that New Mexico Voters Overwhelmingly Support the Creation of a Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program (pub. 11.17.2021)
Sources:
- 2019 Paid Family and Medical Leave Storybook [Internet]. Main Street Alliance. [cited 2019 Nov 27]. Available from:
https://www.mainstreetalliance.org/2019_pfml_storybook1. - Klevens J, Luo F, Xu L, Peterson C, Latzman NE. Paid family leave’s effect on hospital admissions for pediatric abusive head trauma. Inj Prev. 2016 Dec;22(6):442–5.
- Gassman-Pines A, Ananet EO. Paid Family Leave in North Carolina: A Cost Benefit Analysis [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2019 Oct 23]. Available from:
https://duke.app.box.com/s/9wti16byhdyyz6k99ri2yib3ttlprgl8