“A social insurance model like the FAMILY Act is the most effective and affordable way for small businesses to offer critical paid leave benefits. I know this because I have tried to offer private market disability insurance through my small business, and the results were disastrous. It is a fallacy that the private market will take care of small businesses when it comes to paid leave. When I developed shingles and was unable to work for two months, my private market disability plan put me through a year of bureaucracy and in the end refused to pay any leave benefits. Small businesses have no power or choices in the private market insurance industry because we are not purchasing plans for large numbers. The only security we can truly count on is a public model like the FAMILY Act that is not created to maximize profits but instead to support businesses and workers, acknowledging that work and life are not separate spheres. The passage of the Universal Paid Leave Act in D.C. has given me peace of mind and motivation to keep growing my business. Entrepreneurship is “hot” right now, but innovation cannot exist without basic security. The FAMILY Act is a solid step in the right direction for all of us.”
Julie Yoder, Founder
