New Survey: 83% of Connecticut Registered Voters Support Paid Family Medical Leave for Working Caregivers

A large majority of registered voters in Connecticut, across the ideological spectrum, support paid family medical leave and a significant percentage

would back a candidate for state elections who worked to implement such a plan, according to a recent survey by AARP Research.

One-thousand state voters age 25-plus were asked two questions about the paid family medical initiative:

• Views on a state plan that gives employees an opportunity to contribute to and utilize a limited amount of paid leave from work to care for themselves or a loved one who is recovering from a serious medical condition:
• Support: 83 percent or eight out of 10
• Strongly Support: 65 percent

• Views on if they would support a candidate for state elections who worked to implement a paid family leave plan that included working caregivers:
• Support: 74 percent or more than 7 out of 10
• Strongly Support: Half of respondents with 50 percent

In addition, the level of support for a state paid family medical leave crosses party lines:

“Connecticut voters overwhelmingly support paid family leave for workers,” said Nora Duncan, AARP CT state director. "We urge lawmakers to give serious consideration to passage of SB 221, An Act Concerning Paid Family and Medical Leave, in the remaining weeks of the 2016 legislative session. Voters are clearly interested in this policy and will make it a part of their considerations at the ballot box this fall.”

SB 221 would create a statewide system of paid family & medical leave for workers needing time off to care for themselves, an ill loved one or a new baby. The system that's being suggested would be fully funded by employees with no employer contribution. According to The Institute for Women's Policy Research, the cost to Connecticut employees would be very low at just about one half of one percent of someone's income.