The following vort was delivered by Matan Zeimer, Hinenu member and JUFJ community organizer on September 7 2021/1 Tishrei 5782.
It is such an honor and a joy to be starting this new year with all of you. My name is Matan Zeimer, I use he/him/his pronouns, and in addition to being a member of Hinenu, I am a community organizer with Jews United for Justice.
As you all are already aware, this year Rosh Hashanah has intersected with Labor Day. My hope is that this intersection will provide us with a reminder that a better, sweeter, more justice-filled world is possible.
Since 1998, Jews United for Justice (JUFJ) has worked with congregations throughout DC and Maryland to continue the tradition of bringing labor justice into Labor Day services and the high holidays by engaging our local Jewish communities in a collective conversation about the challenges facing workers today. This year, congregations from across the state are participating in Labor on the Bimah and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue this tradition this morning with Hinenu by sharing about one ongoing labor justice campaign here in Maryland.
So many of the benefits that come with a majority of jobs today are due to the standards that were created by the labor movement of the late 19th and early 20th century. The 40 hour work week, minimum wage, paid vacation days, sick days, lunch breaks, employer-provided health care, and safety standards are just a few of the many achievements that have resulted from the ongoing labor movement. This movement continues to be an important catalyst for improving the working conditions for all workers in our country. Here in Maryland, we have the opportunity to achieve another long-sought goal for workers - that of passing an inclusive and progressive paid family and medical leave policy.
JUFJers across Maryland — including a number of folks here today — began working to pass a Paid Family and Medical Leave law in 2019 and continue to be deeply involved in this effort. Nearly everyone needs to take time away from work at some point to care for a relative, deal with a serious personal illness, or welcome a baby. However, state and federal policies only provide for unpaid leave in these situations. With the skyrocketing costs of childcare, medical fees, and everyday life expenses, most families can’t afford to go weeks without income. This forces too many working families to make the impossible choice between earning an income or taking the time they need away from work. There is ample evidence that our Jewish tradition and texts, some of which we have already recited this morning, hold sacred both the dignity of workers and the need to take time away from that work to care for ourselves and our families. Furthermore, we have all seen how the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the critical importance of paid leave.
In January, the Maryland General Assembly will convene for the 2022 legislative session and consider the “Time to Care Act.” This proposed legislation would be funded by joint employer and employee contributions to a statewide insurance fund that would then pay an employee’s wages during leave, relieving individual employers of the financial burden to pay directly. The proposed bill covers all Maryland workers and provides an opportunity for self-employed people to opt into the program. The program is designed to provide most assistance to the people who need it most – everyone would receive a percentage of their normal earnings while on leave, but low-wage workers would receive the highest percentage, as they can least afford to take a pay cut. And this proposal includes a broad definition of family to be inclusive and ensure that we can all take time to care for loved ones in our lives.
JUFJ is a member of the Time to Care Coalition, which includes our local allies in the labor and economic justice community as well as local and national partners across numerous intersecting justice movements, as well as small businesses. This coalition is working to build on this broad support to get the Time to Care Act passed in the upcoming 2022 legislative session. Nine states and DC have already passed paid leave laws and it is beyond time for Maryland to join them in providing this critical resource to working families and businesses.
I find so much comfort and inspiration from this community and its deep commitment to justice. As we enter the new year, I hope to work alongside many of you here today and many others from across Maryland to see that this new year brings about much needed paid family and medical leave for all workers in our state.
If you’d like to join in this effort, please reach out to me. Shana Tova!
Here are several ways to take action and get involved:
Join JUFJ’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Workgroup
Next meeting is on September 30th and you can register here: https://jufj.org/event/pfml-9-30/
Attend the Coalition's Campaign Kick-Off on October 19th
Register here: https://jufj.org/event/ttc-kickoff/
Attend JUFJ’s annual Maryland Statewide Legislative Kickoff: Sunday, October 17 at 2:00 PM
Register here: https://jufj.org/event/kickoff/
If you're a MD resident, contact your legislators by emailing them here: https://jufj.org/pfml-22/
Visit the Coalition website at: https://www.timetocare.net/
Reach out to me to learn more! My email is: matan@jufj.org