Freebies + Downloads
April 29, 2025

How You Can Help Power Paid Family and Medical Leave Forward

Learn how to get 25% tax credit and preview the Advocacy Toolkit for expanding access to paid leave.
Written by
Dirk Doebler
Category
Freebies + Downloads

Imagine bringing a new child into the world, knowing you’ll have to choose between caring for them or keeping your job. For millions of working parents in the U.S., that’s the reality. Unlike most other developed countries, America has no federal guarantee for paid family and medical leave (PFML). Paid parental leave is one of the most highly desired and impactful policies available to today’s workforce, yet available options are very limited. Without a federal paid leave program, employers are responsible for providing paid leave, which is difficult for small and medium-sized employers to fund. That’s why we’re advocating for the PFML Tax Credit extension to expand access to paid parental leave, and we invite you to join us. 

What is the 25% PFML Tax Credit?

​The Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit Extension and Enhancement Act (S.400 for the Senate and H.R.996 for the House) is a bipartisan bill introduced in the U.S. Senate on January 30, 2024, by Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Angus King (I-ME), with an equivalent bill introduced in the House. Its goal is to provide tax credits for paid parental and family leave insurance, critical to expanding access to paid parental leave.

Download the Free Tax Credit Advocacy Toolkit - No Email Required

This proposed legislation would expand and extend a tax credit that covers up to 25% of the cost of offering paid leave. For small businesses in particular, this could be transformational to helping level the playing field. We know paid parental leave helps families stay healthy and financially secure and this tax credit makes it easier for companies of all sizes, not just large corporations, to support working parents and caregivers.

Why Parento is Advocating

At Parento, our mission has always been clear: make paid parental leave more affordable, accessible, and equitable for all working families. We were founded on the belief that insurance is the best mechanism to make child bonding leave widely available, especially for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) that often want to offer it but struggle with the cost Today, budget concerns are the number one reason businesses hesitate to offer paid leave. State-run programs provide some coverage, but only in a handful of states. That’s why the PFML Tax Credit Extension and Enhancement Act (S.400/H.R.996) is so important. But to make this a reality, we need your voice.

How to Advocate 

Businesses and Americans will benefit immensely from the extension of this tax credit by making paid parental and family leave more affordable and accessible. But these policies won’t move forward without the voices of people like you who know firsthand how critical paid family leave is. Here’s how to get started advocating and showing lawmakers that paid parental leave is a fundamental need for working families and businesses across the country.

Contact Your House Representatives and Senators

First, identify your House Representatives and Senators. Use the list in the Toolkit, or enter your address here: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member. Here are a few helpful tips for contacting them: 

  • Start with those who sit on the Finance Committee and the House Ways & Means Committee. Contacts included in the toolkit.
  • Use the email templates included in the toolkit.
  • Before sending an email, see if a form is the best way to contact them.
  • Share this toolkit with others who can also advocate! The tax credits stand a good chance of passing as part of the upcoming tax bill, but it needs your help.
Download the Tax Credit Advocacy Toolkit for Email Templates and Social Media Posts

Share on Social Media

Help bring awareness to this Tax Credit by sharing that you support the tax credit, or share your own story. Personal experiences resonate! Whether it's through social media, local news, or community groups, sharing how paid leave (or the lack of it) has impacted you or your family can make a big difference. You can also share this toolkit. Here are a few talking points: 

  • S.400/H.R.996 makes paid leave financially possible for businesses that would otherwise struggle to offer it.
  • Without S.400/H.R.996, way fewer businesses will offer paid parental or family leave policies.
  • Passing S.400/H.R.996 is a smart investment in working families, economic stability, and small business growth.
  • This isn’t a handout—it’s a strategic, targeted incentive that helps keep parents and caregivers healthy, working, and supported during life’s critical moments.

Other Ideas to use your voice:

  • Create Petitions or Pledge Support: If no petitions exist in your area, consider creating one to gather signatures in support of S.400/H.R.996. Share it within your network, workplace, or professional associations to raise awareness and build momentum.
  • Engage Your Employer: Encourage your company to advocate for S.400/H.R.996 by writing to their representative and senators, or sharing stories about how paid leave has impacted your workplace. Your perspective matters!
  • Host or Attend Advocacy Events: Participate in webinars, town halls, or advocacy days to advocate for paid leave policies and tax credits. Bringing more voices into the conversation helps amplify the message.

Power Paid Leave Forward with the Toolkit

Without federal action, many families face financial instability during some of life’s most important moments, and businesses struggle to provide consistent benefits across their workforce. To help you take action, we created the Power Paid Leave Forward: An Advocacy Toolkit for Expanding Access for Paid Parental Leave. Whether you are a small business owner, HR leader, working parent, or advocate, you’ll find ready-to-use templates, talking points, and guidance to reach out to policymakers who need to hear from you.

Access the Advocacy Toolkit 

Thank you for standing with us and championing the future of paid family and medical leave. If you’re interested in learning how you can bring paid parental leave to your business, chat with our team!

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