Crucial deadline ahead for Family Care Act enforcement bills — please call your legislators today!

In just four days, the Family Care Act enforcement bills now under consideration in Olympia must pass out of the House or Senate. We need your help to make it happen.

Since 2002, Washington’s Family Care Act (FCA) has helped ensure workers can use the paid time off they’ve earned to care for a sick family member. For the most part, it’s worked well — but state agencies don’t have the authority to stop employers from retaliating against workers who use the FCA.

Lawmakers are considering companion bills to provide modest FCA enforcement — but with so many bills vying for their attention, they need a nudge from you.

It’s easy: just call the state legislative hotline at 1-800-562-6000 and say you’d like to leave a message for your state Representatives and state Senator. (Alternatively, you can look up your legislators here and send each of them an email.)

Your own message will be most effective, but here are a few points to get you started:

• I urge your support for (“House Bill 1828” if speaking with your Representative; “Senate Bill 5263“, if speaking with your Senator).

• For most employees and employers in the state, the Family Care Act has been working well. Unfortunately, in some cases follow up and enforcement is necessary.

• When people can care for their families, we all benefit from reduced health care costs, and employers benefit from better productivity and higher morale.

• Children and adults get better more quickly when a family member is present. Follow up care improves when family members are able to hear doctor’s instructions.

With your help, we can get a Family Care Act enforcement bill on the Governor’s desk this year – thank you for your support!