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Date: 4/18/2023
SPRINGFIELD — Unequal benefits regarding paid family and medical leave in the city of Springfield are being investigated closely after a resolution was brought forward by City Council President Jesse Lederman.
Lederman introduced a resolution in support of aligning the city of Springfield’s employment policies with the state’s paid family and medical leave law.
Prior to the regular City Council meeting on April 10, public speakout took place. Several Springfield residents and employees shared stories regarding their own health struggles and how it impacts their work lives, as well as caring for sick loved ones and how vacation, among other accrued time off, must be used to do so.
Lederman began his remarks by thanking those individuals for sharing their stories.
In 2018, Massachusetts enacted the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act to provide paid family leave benefits to most private sector workers and state public employees to care for themselves and family members experiencing illness, injury, pregnancy, childbirth and adoption.
“There was an initiative to bring forward [paid family and medical leave] via the ballot and many individuals in this room supported that initiative … Ultimately [it] did not make it to the ballot because a compromise was struck in the Legislature that allowed [paid family and medical leave] to be signed into law in the commonwealth,” Lederman said.
Although many did not realize it at the time, Lederman noted that it excluded municipalities and their employees from the program automatically. He explained that there are certain units in Springfield — made up of the city’s employees — that do not have the same level of access to paid family and medical leave as their colleagues in the private sector or the state public service sector.
Lederman said this has been a “worker-led movement” as representatives and employees themselves are bringing this issue forward in hopes that the city addresses it.
“In order to move this conversation forward and make sure that we can arrive at a conclusion that will ensure benefits at the same level for our employees, this resolution calls for a couple of things,” said Lederman.
The first thing it calls for is an audit to be conducted by the Springfield human resources director and for the report to be shared with the City Council’s General Government Subcommitte. The audit will clearly identify which categories of Springfield employees do not currently have automatic access to the same paid family and medical leave that they would in the private sector or the state public sector.
Lederman said it is “fundamental” to ensure that the city’s employees have access to paid family and medical leave benefits at that same level. “It’s fundamental to supporting working families, it’s fundamental to supporting working parents and it’s fundamental for the city to remain competitive as an employer to provide the best services possible to all of our constituents.”
He shared that many individuals have worked in Springfield but then find a better opportunity at the state level. By providing these same levels of benefits, it will close that gap.
Although the conversation is in its early stages, Lederman believes this is a positive first step to show that the city of Springfield is committed to guaranteeing paid family and medical leave for its employees.
“We believe that we, Springfield municipal employees, should have access to the same state law or a [paid family medical leave] program that is equal to or better than the state plan,” said Springfield resident and pringfield Educators Association President Tracy Little-Sasanecki in a written statement. “We at the [Springfield Educators Association] have had many members who have become sick, had sick family members or become injured outside of work, become financially insolvent due to being out of work on unpaid leave. We have even had some members lose their houses. This is not OK.”
Ward 8 City Councilor Zaida Govan shared a story of a client she has in her private practice that is experiencing the same issues. Before working with the client, Govan said she knew that the state provided family and medical leave as it is a law but was unaware that it was not paid.
Govan expressed her support for the resolution and is hoping that other state municipalities pass it as well.
Ward 2 City Councilor Michael Fenton shared that he was also in favor of the resolution brought forward by Lederman and respected the way in which it was presented.
Ward 6 City Councilor Victor Davila said he looks forward to seeing the audit results and the true conditions the city employees are facing. Davila emphasized the importance of family and said, “We should work to live, not live to work.”
He went on to say that he was “surprised” and “shocked” to find out that the city did not already provide this, and the issue should have been addressed a long time ago. Davila expressed his full support for the resolution.
Lederman recognized the Western Massachusetts Area Labor Federation for supporting this resolution, along with the various local unions that represent workers in the city of Springfield.
The councilors voted unanimously in favor of the resolution.