Tuesday, March 23rd 2021
At this time after the 2021 Legislative Session’s Transmittal of Bills in the Montana House and Senate, it is fair to claim and Montana NOW does — that to “protect” and “defend” Montana women and girls is the most prominent of the many dangerous, disastrous and disingenuous themes in any Legislative Session that we can […]
Thursday, February 11th 2021
The Legislature should pass House Bill 228: paid family and medical leave. As a therapist, I see individuals with the most common postpartum complications — depression and anxiety. Insufficient support exacerbates those problems. Parents do much better if their partner can also be home with the newborn. When I had my first son, I was […]
Wednesday, February 10th 2021
A proposal that would create statewide paid medical and family leave for all employees and employers had its first hearing on Wednesday morning. The bill is similar to one that was presented in each of the last two legislative sessions. Rep. Moffie Funk, D-Helena, presented House Bill 228, which would require employees and employers to contribute […]
Wednesday, February 10th 2021
HELENA — Lawmakers on the House Business and Labor Committee heard public comment on a bill Wednesday that would create a statewide fund to pay people if they need to temporarily leave their jobs for a medical or family emergency. Under House Bill 228, sponsored by Rep. Moffie Funk, D-Helena, employers and employees would pay […]
Wednesday, February 10th 2021
A handful of business owners and advocacy groups Wednesday testified in support of a Montana bill that would create a state run system to fund family and medical leave. Business association lobbyists oppose the proposal. Under House Bill 228, workers and employers would contribute to a state run insurance pool that would fund up to […]
Friday, February 5th 2021
The U.S. is unique among industrialized democracies in the way it treats working women. Unlike other industrialized nations, the United States fails to guarantee paid leave via a permanent or universal federal law. Our current system resembles a patchwork of policies developed by employers and state and local governments, or negotiated as a part of […]
Friday, January 29th 2021
The Legislature should establish paid family and medical leave. I have benefited from paid leave because my job provides it, but in the past, I suffered without it. When I was pregnant with my daughter I saved all my time off, but it was only a few weeks and then I had to return to […]
Thursday, January 28th 2021
As a bladder cancer survivor and business owner, I support the Montana Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act — an affordable means for families to manage care. When I was diagnosed I had three part-time jobs and received no benefits or leave. To treat a rare cancer removed, I traveled to Mayo Clinic in Minnesota […]
Thursday, January 28th 2021
A recent study conducted by Montana State University researchers confirmed what we have long suspected — women in Montana are disproportionately affected by COVID-19 with substantial impacts on daily life, workplace disruptions, economic concerns and mental load. House Bill 228 will ensure that women will not have to choose between caring for their families and […]
Saturday, May 25th 2019
May 12 was a special Mother’s Day for me, having just given birth to my first child — Ruby — only nine weeks earlier. The first two months of motherhood have been an incredible adventure with highs and lows. The challenges of motherhood have dimmed in comparison to the joy of helping Ruby navigate this brand new world; […]