I’m writing in support of paid family and medical leave in Maine. As one of the 75 percent of Mainers in support of paid leave, I know firsthand the value of this critical piece of the social safety net, and the impact lack of access to paid leave has on our communities.

I was fortunate enough to have semi-paid leave through my employer, and to be in a position where my family could financially afford for me to take maternity leave after my babies were born. But one in four new mothers in the U.S. returns to work in fewer than 11 days after giving birth. This is detrimental to their recovery from childbirth, their ability to establish breastfeeding and the essential bonding that takes place in the early weeks postpartum.

Whether you are giving birth, caring for a sick or aging family member or recovering from an injury, surgery or other health condition, Mainers deserve the time to manage these moments that matter, without fearing for their financial security. That’s why we must enact paid family leave in Maine.

I’ve heard people say that “Maine is one small town” – we have an opportunity to take care of each other; to ensure our neighbors are met with the resources they need to raise happy, healthy families here; and to guarantee all the joy and wonder that Maine has to offer for generations to come.

Learn more about the case for paid family and medical leave at mainefamilyleave.com/the-facts/

Amy Page
North Yarmouth