WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, members of the bipartisan Paid Family Leave Working Group, co-chaired by Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Stephanie Bice (R-OK), spearheaded a meeting to discuss the feasibility and need for small business paid family leave insurance pooling. The idea of insurance pooling is the third pillar of the working group’s legislative framework, which was released earlier this year.

“One of the most common questions I hear when it comes to passing federal paid family leave policy is: How would it affect small businesses?” said co-chair Houlahan “As an entrepreneur who has scaled multiple businesses and nonprofits, I fully understand the importance of supporting hardworking Americans who want to provide for their growing families and ensuring small businesses can adapt to a rapidly changing workforce environment. Paid family leave is not a choice between workers and business – it’s an opportunity to strengthen our economy.”

Creating association-style pooling plans to enable small employers to pool their resources and risk may ultimately lower premium rates for paid family leave insurance and coverage. This would make the benefits more affordable, enabling more small businesses to cover more workers, a key goal of the Working Group. 

Key Attendees:

• Anthony J Hinojosa, Vice President of Government & International Affairs for US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• James Slotnick, Vice President, Government Relations & Sustainability, Sun Life U.S.
• Elliott Schruer, Assistant Secretary, Maryland Department of Labor
• Justis Antonioli, Research Analyst, Bipartisan Policy Center
• Katie Vlietstra Wonnenberg, Principal, Public Private Strategies

In addition to Co-Chairs Houlahan and Bice, the evenly divided House group includes Representatives Colin Allred (D-TX), Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (R-IA), Haley Stevens (D-MI), and Julia Letlow (R-LA).

The House bipartisan Paid Family Leave Working Group was launched in January of 2023 to explore federal paid family leave policies. Supported by the Bipartisan Policy Center and other organizations, the working group’s mission is to bring more paid leave to more Americans through enduring policy solutions.

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