Paid Leave For All

At Paid Leave for All, they know families, and the nation, are strongest when we all have time to heal from illness or injury, welcome a new child, or help a loved one recover or ease their passing. Yet today, the United States is one of the only countries in the world that doesn't guarantee any form of paid leave for its people. Paid leave impacts public health, financial security, and racial and gender inequity. Paid leave is also a proven tool to retain talented workers and support economic development.

While the country came close to changing this in 2021 after COVID-19, Congress fell short one vote away from paid family and medical leave becoming federal law. Now, states and cities have filled in the gaps, with more than a dozen programs and cities developing policies for public workers. The City of Cleveland made paid leave available to employees in 2023, and Cuyahoga County similarly followed suit earlier this year.

Dawn Huckelbridge has served as Founding Director of Paid Leave for All since 2019. She has spent her career in gender policy, political organizing, communications, and building early-stage programs and campaigns. Dawn most recently served as Communications Director for Supermajority during its launch and as the Senior Director of the Women’s Rights Initiative at American Bridge.

Join the City Club as Ahmed Abonamah, CFO of the City of Cleveland sits down with Dawn Huckelbridge to discuss how our current laws can keep up with the needs of families and a 21st century economy.

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The livestream will be available beginning at 12:00pm. Have questions? Tweet them at @TheCityClub or send a text to 330.541.5794.

Production and distribution of City Club forums in partnership with Ideastream Public Media is generously provided by PNC and the United Black Fund.