Paid family and medical leave is an essential support for young people as they enter the workforce, and allows them to care for themselves and their loved ones while also meeting their career goals. While many states have stepped up to pass these protections, too many young workers in the U.S. lack a legal right to paid leave, especially in Southern states like Louisiana.
Paid leave would help to build economic security for Louisiana’s workforce as a whole. Currently, 69% of all employees in Louisiana do not have access to paid leave, leaving many workers unable to care for a serious health condition or provide care for a loved one. On top of this, only 34% of Louisianians are eligible for the unpaid, job-protected leave provided by the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, due to strict eligibility requirements for coverage.
But the impact of Louisiana’s lack of paid leave is especially burdensome for young people across the state. Louisiana is home to hundreds of thousands of workers aged 16-24, many of whom work in industries like food service and retail, where employers often don’t provide benefits like paid family and medical leave. In addition, 85,325 Louisianans aged 16-24, or 15.7% of the state’s youth, are disconnected from both work and school. Access to workplace protections like paid leave are key to ensuring young people can stay attached to their school and work as they support their families and take care of their own health needs.
A Better Balance is proud to support our partners in the Louisiana Opportunity Youth Alliance (LOYAL) to bring visibility to the policies and community resources that will equip Louisiana’s youth with the tools they need to thrive. This March, we shared resources making the urgent case for paid family and medical leave at LOYAL’s Opportunity in Action Day, which brought over 75 young people—the largest turnout of young advocates to date—as well as numerous community organizations, nonprofits, and service providers to the Louisiana State Capitol.
It is critical to center the voices of youth advocates as we see that youth who experience poverty, living with a disability, pregnancy or parenting, housing insecurity, or incarceration are often more likely to disconnect from school and work. A universal right to paid family and medical leave would be a lifeline for Louisiana’s youth as they navigate life’s most important moments, whether that means taking time off to care for a sick younger sibling or a parent with a serious health condition, dealing with mental health-related needs, or feeling confident applying to a job while pregnant knowing they’ll be able to take leave to take care of a new infant.
Each year, Louisianans lose $850 million in wages due to unpaid or partially paid leave, including $455 million lost by women – critical income that could be helping families stay afloat amidst a nationwide affordability crisis. We owe it to the workforce of tomorrow to invest in the policies they need to protect their health and economic security, and lay a strong foundation for themselves and their loved ones. A national right to paid leave would be a lifeline for millions of young workers, in Louisiana and beyond.