The Progressive Midwesterner

According to the National Partnership for Women and Families , only four U.S. states (California, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island), as well the District of Columbia, currently have paid family leave programs, with two other states, Massachusetts and the State of Washington, set to implement paid family leave programs in the near future. Now, legislation has been proposed in two states, Illinois and North Dakota, to create paid family leave programs in those states. There are some differences between the Illinois proposal and the North Dakota proposal, but both proposals would require private-sector employers with at least 50 employees to provide paid leave for employees who take leave because of the birth of the employee's child and to allow the employee to care for a family member who is seriously ill. In Illinois, Illinois State Representative Mary Flowers (D-Chicago) has proposed a paid family leave act here in Illinois (Illinois HB0009). Here is the synopsis of the p...

Since the population of the average state legislative district in North Dakota is significantly less less than the population of, for example, the population of the average state senate district in my home state of Illinois, it's, as far as I'm aware of, not common to see television advertising for state legislative candidates in North Dakota. However, the all-female Democratic-NPL slate of candidates in North Dakota state legislative district 17, which includes part of Grand Forks County in the northeastern part of the state, is running a high-quality television advertisement featuring state senate candidate Phyllis Johnson and state house candidates Monte Gaukler and Angela Urlacher engaging in conversations with voters: There is immense energy working cooperatively with empowered women. @Angela_Urlacher , Phyllis Johnson, and I have enjoyed our journey together and we are hoping to travel to Bismarck. We would appreciate your support on November 6th. #WorkingTogetherMovin...