Ivanka Trump has responded to the editorial board of the Wall Street Journal, which recently said family leave should not be administered by the government.
The editors of the Wall Street Journal recently dismissed Ivanka Trump’s paid family leave agenda, saying that while the leave itself is important, it should not be administered by the government.
The first daughter's response to that piece was published by the Journal on Tuesday.
It reads, in part, “By now, many are familiar with the benefits of paid family leave: Healthier children and parents in more tightly bonded families, greater financial stability and stronger attachment to the labor force are among the most important. Unfortunately, those who need these benefits the most aren’t getting them; the poorest, most vulnerable workers in our society get left behind.”
Trump continues, “Currently, only 6% of workers in the bottom income quartile have access to paid family leave. Studies show that these individuals—particularly women without a college degree—are far more likely to lose or quit their jobs in the event of childbirth, resulting in a far greater cost to society over the long term.”
She also stresses, “making it easier for new parents to return to work after the arrival of a new baby is a critical part of solving the persistent gender and minority pay gap that exists in part because of prolonged periods away from the workforce and challenges with re-entry.”
In regards to which arena, public or private, is best suited to guide the initiative, Trump notes, “We see a national paid-leave benefit as the necessary floor from which private sector companies and state governments can build.”
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal noted, "Companies like Netflix , which offers salaried employees up to a year of family leave, are held up as an example of how more American businesses should operate."
Politico reported in a piece on June 23 that Ivanka Trump is facing challenges in making progress on the issue.
At least some Republicans would resist another government social program while others would be reluctant to introduce additional mandates even though the administration has offered to give flexibility to states, notes NPR.
