Jul 06 Harrisburg’s Opportunity for Paid Leave is Now

(July 6, 2026)

This Bold Voices blog post was written by one of Allies for Children’s partners about a subject that is relevant to their work as well as ours.

Today’s blog was written by: Dan O’Brien, Policy Director for Family Economic Stability at Children First and Co-Chair of the PA Family Care Coalition

We hear a lot of chatter coming out of Harrisburg about supporting working families and affordability, yet Pennsylvanians continue to not see any significant action that would have a direct impact on their household’s finances coming out of the state Capitol. This inaction has left local governments, like Allegheny County, to try to figure out ways they can step up instead of waiting around for Harrisburg.

Enter the recent debate around paid leave. After years of Harrisburg playing politics with people’s lives by not passing a comprehensive paid leave program, Allegheny County is attempting to get big things done on their own by guaranteeing workers the right to paid parental leave. It would be the first county in the country to do so, and Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato and other leaders pushing for this should be applauded for their leadership.

There has been much debate during the county’s comment period on both sides of the issue. However, this debate has made one thing clear: Harrisburg has failed both working families and small businesses.

The General Assembly has been sitting on a pro-family, pro-business solution for multiple legislative sessions now. The Family Care Act (HB200/SB906) would create a critical statewide paid family and medical leave program in Pennsylvania for the first time in our Commonwealth’s history. This program will put money back into the pockets of working families and allow working Pennsylvanians the freedom to bond with their baby following birth or take care of a seriously ill family member at a vulnerable time of need, while not having to sacrifice their household’s financial stability that they work so hard to maintain.

In states with existing statewide paid leave programs, access to paid family and medical leave has proven to be good for families, good for business and good for the economic competitiveness of those states.

Impossible choices between work and family often cause workers to leave their jobs. Access to a paid leave program would mean workers aren’t forced to leave the labor force to care for their families or their own health, resulting in better financial stability for families and increased worker retention for businesses.

What’s more, the Family Care Act would help level the playing field for small businesses. Small businesses want to do right by their employees but often can’t afford to offer the benefits that larger employers provide. Fourteen other states, plus Washington D.C., have created statewide paid leave programs, and employers in other states report that these programs have had a positive effect on their businesses. Our neighboring states of New Jersey, New York, Delaware and Maryland have all passed paid leave, and Virginia just became the first Southern state to do the same. If we want to remain competitive and retain young families and entrepreneurs in Pennsylvania, we must do the same.

As you read this, the Family Care Act is ready to be voted on at any time in Harrisburg. The House passed its version in March, and the Senate Labor & Industry Committee passed its version in early June thanks to the leadership of Sen. Devlin Robinson from Allegheny County. It passed with robust bipartisan support in the Democratic-controlled PA House and has 31 co-sponsors (62% of the chamber) in the Republican-controlled PA Senate, along with the support of 81% of Pennsylvania voters. Pennsylvania voters want the leadership in both the House and Senate to prioritize working families and send the Family Care Act to the Governor’s desk now.

Working families and small businesses are the backbone of Pennsylvania’s economy and communities across the Commonwealth. It’s time for Harrisburg to step up like Allegheny County to prove their support for Pennsylvania’s families and small business owners by passing a statewide paid family and medical leave program that is both pro-family and pro-business. It’s time to pass the Family Care Act.

Learn more about the importance of paid family leave: click here
Add your name to a letter in support of the Family Care Act: click here