Paid Family Leave

Paid family leave is not an issue or idea that naturally comes to conservatives.

In one sense, it's a form of paying people not to work. In another, it's a matter of paying people to remain available for work and later resume a normal employee role.

Shifting an employment relationship that doesn't already include this to later including it raises several questions. Is this another unfunded mandate on the employer? Is this a new tax-and-spend benefit from the government? The money would have to come from somewhere.

I would prefer less of a role for both government and employer in people's lives. Government should stick to punishing those who do evil and praising those who do good. Employers would do well to simply pay people out of the value they provide.

That understood, as long as this issue has traction, it's worth listening to what people are saying and what those with power are considering.