A bill recently before the Maine Legislature would have created a paid family medical leave system. L.D. 1587 would have given people the option to take up to eight weeks off a year for medical or mental health purposes, the birth or adoption of a child, or a death in the family. The original bill was terminated – what a shock.

As someone who has had to use my own paid vacation time for medical reasons (my parents have used all of theirs to care for me), I would have highly valued this security plan for my future. Every day we are presented with unfortunate events; to attend to them, the people of Maine have to use saved vacation time, savings or nothing at all.

Why are we not protecting families now, for the future? Only 13 percent of the workers in the U.S. have paid family medical leave, but if you do the research, the states with such systems in place have had a positive response.

I do not believe that this is the only time that we will see a bill like this proposed. When a similar bill arises in the near future, I urge lawmakers to support the passing of such an important policy.

Davina Stiles

Bucksport