Press Releases

Los Angeles, CA — Today, at the California Community Foundation, Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) hosted a roundtable on “Making Paid Family and Medical Leave Work for All Families.” Local and national advocates, business leaders, experts, and constituents discussed California’s paid family leave policy, as well as strategies and best practices for advancing equitable paid leave across the country.

During the roundtable, Congressman Gomez listened to California residents’ experiences with the policy – the oldest state-based paid family leave program in the country – as he leads national efforts to pass comprehensive federal policy. Speakers included Katie Bethell, Founder and Executive Director of Paid Leave for the United States (PL+US); Clinica Romero, First 5LA, NARAL, Sun Life Financial, Working Families CA, and Jimena De la Rosa, a former small business owner who was unable to access the state’s paid family leave policy after she gave birth and experienced postpartum depression.

“From my days championing paid family leave in the California Assembly to my current role in the U.S. House of Representatives, I’ve seen firsthand how effective we can be when diverse stakeholders have a seat at the table,” said Congressman Gomez. “I’d like to thank the groups that joined me at this morning’s discussion and for giving a voice to the those who desperately need support in caring for their loved ones. Together – through continued engagement and open dialogue – we can help develop equitable paid family leave policies on the national level that recognize the concerns and dignity of our working families.”

“I lost my father two days before giving birth and soon after had to close my business,” said Jimena De la Rosa. “Financially strained and emotionally drained from postpartum depression, I needed time, but California’s paid leave program was out of reach for me. Today, with Congressman Gomez, I know millions of families like mine are one step closer to a paid family leave program that works for us.”

“I’m optimistic that with Congressman Gomez’s leadership and voices of impacted people at the table we can win bold federal paid family leave policy that includes all families and all forms of care,” said Katie Bethell, Founder and Executive Director of PL+US. “In the 116th Congress, we have bipartisan consensus that there’s a problem to solve. But legislators are still debating the solutions. That’s why conversations like this are so important. Listening to those least likely to have paid family leave and learning from programs in states like California, we know what good policy looks like: it will ensure that everyone can be there in the moments that matter most, from your child’s first breath or your parent’s last.”