Call Us 919-240-4054An op-ed in the Washington Post calls for paid family and maternity leave because the 12 weeks of unpaid leave provided by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is grossly inadequate. Sharon Lerner traces the history of legislative efforts to provide paid leave to support workers’ families, the compromised law that is the FMLA, and […]
Congress
House passes unemployment extension without COBRA benefits; Senate yet to act
On May 28, 2010, the House passed a watered-down jobs bill. It extends the extra unemployment benefits program for another six months, though those benefits have now expired as of the end of May. Significantly, the House bill did not include an extension of the expanded COBRA program for health insurance. The Senate has yet […]
Republicans block unemployment benefits again
Senate Republicans have once again blocked a much-needed extension of unemployment benefits, ignoring the needs of millions of workers that rely on those benefits. This time, it is Oklahoma Republican Tom Coburn who has single-handedly denied workers benefits. From the New York Times: “As a result, some people who have been out of work for more […]
President signs landmark health care reform
On March 23, after the House and the Senate were finally able to resolve their differences, President Obama signed into law the landmark health care bill that promises to mark affordable health care a reality for all Americans. Extensive coverage of the act can be found elsewhere, but this is a good summary of how […]
Obama signs bill temporarily extending COBRA, unemployment benefits; longer extension being considered
On March 2, President Obama signed the Temporary Extension Act of 2010 (summary here), a bill that will extend the 65 percent premium COBRA subsidy through March 31, 2010, and unemployment assistance benefits through April 5, 2010. The Senate passed this bill after Republican Senator Jim Bunning finally abandoned his misguided efforts to block it. On […]
Improvements for employer-provided health insurance
The Obama administration proposed new rules recently that should improve insurance coverage of mental health care for more those fortunate to have medical insurance through their jobs. The rules implement the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA). Under the rules, employers and group health plans generally cannot […]