A worldwide pandemic. Something I never thought I would experience during my lifetime. As things escalated, my employer made the decision to have everyone work remotely. I’m going to be honest, working from home the last couple months has been great. I have been able to manage my time so I could care for my new puppy, make more meals at home, and actually dedicate more time to helping the small businesses I represent.
I know that working from home is a privilege that many do not have during the pandemic. I have missed meeting with clients and communicating in person with other people (besides my husband!), I feel so grateful to have a job that enables me to work from the safety of my home. My heart aches for those that have lost their jobs due to a layoff or health issue, and those who are unable to work from home and worry about how that could impact their health or the health of their families
During this quarantine, it is almost impossible not to think, “What if I was to test positive for COVID-19?”, “What if I was laid off?”, “What if a family member was to get ill?” It has been an eye opener for so many reasons.
Last summer I had an unexpected, but necessary surgery. I was able to recover at home and did not have to use any paid leave at work. The same cannot be said for a lot of folks here in Wisconsin. With the Coronavirus still a major concern some individuals have had to continue working in high-risk environments because they are the primary money maker or caregiver. My heart especially goes out to the new mothers who had to deliver their child on their own as their spouse had to continue to work as an essential worker.
I have teamed up with Family Friendly Wisconsin to bring awareness to the lack of paid family and medical leave options in our state. Sadly, many Wisconsinites lack the paid time off to undergo a medical procedure or are unable to care for a loved one while they recover. This has been the case before coronavirus, and now the disparities are even glaring. Not only is it hard for individuals who need the paid leave for themselves but is especially heartbreaking when you cannot get the time off to visit family OR have to make the hard decision to provide for the family financially at the risk of their personal safety as they do not receive time off.
In addition to paid family and medical leave, Family Friendly Wisconsin supports the following:
- Lower-cost prescription drugs
- Reliable, affordable elder care
- Affordable, quality childcare
To learn more, visit their website, https://familyfriendlywisconsin.org, to see how you can help make a change in Wisconsin.
*This blog post was sponsored by Family Friendly Wisconsin.*
