Democratic candidate for Governor Molly Kelly brought her push for creating a state paid family leave program to a Londonderry apple orchard Wednesday.
Kelly has been talking up paid family leave for weeks. The issue is the subject of her lone general election ad, and to hear the candidate tell it, this near exclusive focus isn't going to change anytime soon.
"I've said it a million times and I'll say it again because I believe it in my core, we have a right to be with the people we care most about when they need us. When you have a newborn, or when your parents are elderly and sick, or when your children are sick, and that's what's important. "
Kelly envisions New Hampshire having a voluntary paid leave program, where employees would opt in. Gov. Chris Sununu say he favors the same approach but worked to kill a voluntary leave bill last year because he questioned its sustainability. Right now five states and the District of Columbia have paid leave laws. All rely on payroll deductions or taxes and require most workers to participate.
