15
Work/Family Balance
Expand the Family and Medical Leave Act: The FMLA covers only certain workers in businesses with
50 or more employees. Obama will expand it to cover businesses with 25 or more employees. He will also
expand what's covered under the FMLA, to include allowing workers to take leave for elder care needs; al-
lowing parents up to 24 hours of leave each year to participate in their children's academic activities; and to
expand FMLA to cover leave for employees to address domestic violence.
Encourage States to Adopt Paid Leave: As president, Obama will initiate a strategy to encourage all 50
states to adopt paid-leave systems. Obama will provide a $1.5 billion fund to assist states with start-up costs
and to help states offset the costs for employees and employers.
Expand High-Quality Afterschool Opportunities: Obama will double funding for the main federal
support for afterschool programs, the 21st Century Learning Centers program, to serve a million more chil-
dren. Obama will include measures to maximize performance and effectiveness across grantees nationwide.
Expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit: The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit pro-
vides too little relief to families that struggle to afford child care expenses. Obama will reform the Child
and Dependent Care Tax Credit by making it refundable and allowing low-income families to receive up to a
50 percent credit for their child care expenses.
Protect Against Caregiver Discrimination: Workers with family obligations often are discriminated
against in the workplace. Obama will enforce the recently-enacted Equal Employment Opportunity Com-
mission guidelines on caregiver discrimination.
Expand Flexible Work Arrangements: Obama will create a program to inform businesses about the
benefits of flexible work schedules; help businesses create flexible work opportunities; and increase federal
incentives for telecommuting. Obama will also make the federal government a model employer in terms of
adopting flexible work schedules and permitting employees to request flexible arrangements.
OBAMA'S RECORd
Housing:
In the U.S. Senate, Obama introduced the STOP FRAUD Act to increase penalties
for mortgage fraud and provide more protections for low-income homebuyers, well before the
current subprime crisis began.
Predatory Lending:
In the Illinois State Senate, Obama called attention to predatory lending
issues. Obama sponsored legislation to combat predatory payday loans, and he also urged the
state to more closely regulate some of the most egregious predatory lending practices.
American Jobs:
Barack Obama introduced the Patriot Employer Act of 2007 to provide a tax
credit to companies that maintain or increase the number of full-time workers in America
relative to those outside the US; maintain their corporate headquarters in America; pay decent
wages; prepare workers for retirement; provide health insurance; and support employees who
serve in the military.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Read and Watch the Speech:
http://www.barackobama.com/2007/09/17/remarks_of_senator_barack_obam_24.php
ECONOMY