Family Care Act Press Conference
On Tuesday, March 17th, members of NJCW Pittsburgh’s staff joined Representative Lindsay Powell, Representative La’Tasha Mayes, and newly elected Representative Jen Mazzocco, along with our Family Care Act Coalition partner organizations at Field Day in Lawrenceville for a press conference to call for the Pennsylvania House to bring the Family Care Act, HB 200, to the floor for a vote.
This legislation is so important and long overdue. Too many Pennsylvanians are literally just one illness, birth, or family crisis away from losing a paycheck or even their job because the state of Pennsylvania still has no guaranteed paid family and medical leave. The Family Care Act as written in House Bill 200 will create a statewide paid family and medical leave insurance program funded by small payroll contributions, so workers can take time to care without financial freefall.
This is not a new idea. As of early 2026, there are thirteen states, including our neighbors in New Jersey and New York, that offer paid family and medical leave to their workers. These programs help families bond with new babies, care for aging or disabled loved ones, recover from serious illness, or escape domestic violence. Not only that, but it helps businesses with retention, reduces turnover, and will make Pennsylvania competitive with states that already have paid leave. Additionally, we know that women, especially women of color, disproportionately bear the burden of caregiving for their families, and paid leave supports rural, low‑wage, and marginalized workers who have the least access to employer-based benefits.
Legislators and speakers shared how the lack of such a program causes families to make the unnecessary and seemingly impossible choice between caring for a sick loved one, welcoming home a new child, escaping domestic violence, or taking leave for their own health and a paycheck, or in some cases, having a job to return to at all.
If you agree, you can urge your Representative to vote yes on the Family Care Act here: https://act.ncjwpgh.org/a/support-fca
