It's the holidays, and many of us are looking forward to spending the season with our loved ones. But while we can plan around calendared holidays, there are many times that our families need us unexpectedly. So before Mayor Bowser goes on vacation, will you take a moment to remind her that we need her leadership on Paid Family Leave?
Please take 5 minutes to write a personalized note about why you support paid leave for everyone living or working in DC. Personal emails, as opposed to form letters, are more likely to be read and responded to.
Here are some tips for writing an effective email. Remember: it doesn't need to be long, it just needs to be from the heart!
- Identify yourself:
- Your name
- Where you live (address, neighborhood, and/or ward)
- How long you've lived in DC
- The family members you care for (e.g. I'm a parent; I care for my aging grandparents; my brother has a chronic health condition; I hope to raise a family in DC one day)
- The kind of work you do (e.g. I am a lawyer working downtown; I work for a non profit that does 'XYZ;' I am a teacher in XYZ neighborhood)
- I support 16 weeks of paid family and medical leave for everyone living or working in DC because...: (share a personal experience of how you have or could have benefited from paid leave. This could be a personal medical leave story, a family care giving leave story, or story about a new baby stories)
- Make the ask. Clearly ask the Mayor to support the Universal Paid Leave Act of 2015 by providing sufficient startup funding in her FY17 budget. Our city is looking to her office to lead the way in establishing this urgently needed program for all working families.
- If you are a federal worker, self employed, or a reverse commuter, add a line about recognizing that you will be paying into the program, such as: "I realize this legislation will require me to pay for myself and I am excited about the opportunity to do so in order to be covered. At some point we will all face a time when we need to be away from work to care for ourselves or a loved one. Better to have this insurance coverage and never need to use it than to need it and not have it."
Let's keep paid family leave on Mayor Bowser's mind so she can return from her holiday refreshed, recharged, and ready to #LeadOnLeave.