Adrienne Schweer, Bipartisan Policy Center, posted on
It takes over two years for the average American teacher to save enough vacation and sick leave to cover just six weeks of paid time off following the birth of a child. And that assumes the teacher did not catch any of the illnesses that ravage her classroom nor require a day of vacation to attend a family member’s weekend wedding or the funeral of a friend.
The challenge of finding paid leave is real, and not just for teachers. Only 15% of Americans have a paid family leave benefit, which is defined as paid time off for maternity, paternity, caring for an ailing or sick family member, or caring for themselves through serious illness or a major injury. See the whole story here.