Taking the Fight for Family and Medical Leave Act to Washington

This morning on our final stop on this week's Take Control of Your Life Tour, we take the fight to Capitol Hill. One of the things you've e-mailed us about most is the strain of balancing work and home -- especially when your family needs you most: a new baby, caring for an elderly parent or coping with an illness.

Tory Johnson and the Take Control of Your Life tour hit Washington, D.C., to find our where the presidential candidates stand on the Family & Medical Leave Act.

(ABCNEWS)

The Family and Medical Leave Act entitles many workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave with job protection. That has been a great service to some 60 million workers who've taken advantage of the law in their times of need. But a Department of Labor report in 2000 also found that some of the workers who needed the leave said they were unable to take it for financial reasons.

Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., has introduced an upgrade of the existing Family and Medical Leave Act that would provide up to eight weeks of paid leave, which would be paid for through an insurance fund financed by employees and employers equally. A person earning $30,000 a year would pay a premium of about $11 a week. That same person would receive 75 percent of his or her salary for up to eight weeks of qualified time off.

Click here to find out where presidential candidates stand.

What You Can Do

Make your voice heard. If you have elder care or child care demands or even your own health concerns that may require you to take some time off from work -- and you can't afford to do it without pay -- you must make your voice heard. And there's no better time than election season. If this issue matters to you, speak up.

Hold elected officials responsible. Let your legislators on a state and national level know that this is important to you. Every lawmaker has an e-mail address and a telephone comment line. Tell your legislator what you think.

Click here for contact information for U.S. senators from your state.

Click here for contact information for U.S. representatives from your state.

Check out state laws. Find out what's happening in your state. California recently passed a paid leave program, and more states have bills pending. You may have options available to you through a state program. Let your state legislators know your opinions on a paid leave policy, too.