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Legislators should establish paid family and sick leave. I’ve benefited from paid vacation because my job allows it, but in the past I’ve suffered without it.
When I was pregnant with my daughter I saved all my free time, but it was only a few weeks and then I had to go back to work. My husband was in school and we needed the money. Paid family vacation would have let me spend more time with my newborn.
Years later, my son suffered a traumatic brain injury. I drove from Helena to Missoula for many days, where he was hospitalized for over a month. I couldn’t take time to work because we were financially tight under hospital bills. Paid vacation would have eased my family’s pain.
Now as a government employee, I have access to paid vacation. This enabled me to spend priceless time with my parents in their final days. I didn’t have to choose between income and my parents because I knew I would still have a job afterwards. The paid vacation would allow the coal and steel workers to take care of sick family members while they continue to pay bills and know their job will still be there. I urge the legislature to pass HB 228.
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