‘Let us support working families by supporting paid family leave,” said President Trump during his State of the Union Address in January.

The White House recently released its 2019 fiscal year budget proposal, outlining what that leave looks like. It calls for six weeks of paid leave for mothers and fathers. Supporting working families in any form is welcome. However, the White House proposal falls short of what Hawaii’s working families need. The proposal covers only parents attending to children immediately following childbirth. This leaves the majority of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) population uncovered, including those who take leave to address a personal health issue or care for a sick family member.

California, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Washington and New York are acting to provide the kind of medical leave insurance needed by working families. Almost every family will deal with a member falling seriously ill or needing caregiving. It is time for Hawaii to support hard-working families with a state-run insurance program to help them continue to thrive in both their personal and professional lives.

The programs in Hawaii — FMLA and the Hawaii Family Leave Law (HFLL) — do not adequately address the needs of our working families. They only offer unpaid leave and are generally unavailable to the low-wage workers whose need is the greatest. Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) covers partial wage replacement to employees recovering from injury, illness and childbirth. However, the insurance does not support caregivers, non-biological parents and job security.

The need for this type of insurance is clear. Seven in 10 children in Hawaii live in households where both parents work. Over a quarter of the state’s children live in households headed by a single parent. Our population is older than most of the U.S. and it is aging faster. More individuals will need time to care for ailing family members during the course of their working lives. Yet, many families simply cannot afford to be full-time caregivers to support newborn, sick children or ailing parents. They have to choose between paying rent and caring for a loved one.

Paid family leave advances gender equity, and makes small businesses competitive.

Women make up nearly half of Hawaii’s labor force and women are more likely to take leave than men to provide care. This puts women at a disadvantage. When women take unpaid leave, they are less likely to return to work after the need for leave is over. The loss of earnings over a lifetime impacts their savings and ability to retire.

The entire working population and the right to paid time off should be protected by a state-run insurance program to level the playing field for everyone. A state-run insurance plan can provide more equitable access to benefits while reducing stress and the financial burden on employers. It helps businesses retain their employees without bearing the cost of wage replacement. It allows small businesses to offer an employee benefit generally found only with larger companies.

Paid time off is not just “nice to have.” It is essential for Hawaii’s working families to thrive. In 2015, President Barack Obama issued a presidential memorandum providing six weeks of paid family and medical leave for federal employees. Access to paid leave should not be left to the discretion of employers. Hawaii’s economy relies on the availability and well-being of those who live and work in the state.

Hawaii can protect our working families with state-run family and medical leave insurance. The 2018 Legislature can make this a reality. Active public participation, including testimony, will be critical in persuading legislators to pass House Bill 2598 and Senate Bill 2990.