The overwhelming majority of countries require some sort of paid leave for new moms, but in the United States, only four states and Washington D.C. have any sort of policy in place.

Research has shown us both the economic and societal impact of paid leave. New parents can take the medically recommended time to bond with their new baby without having to rush back to work just to pay the bills. Employers benefit by having a more stable workforce with reduced training and replacement employee costs.

Over the past four months, a bipartisan group of lawmakers, business leaders, and labor representatives have been working together to find a way to make paid family leave a reality in our state.

Our proposal offers benefits that will help provide economic security, especially for low-income workers.

In addition to being the subject of this week’s 57 Seconds video, you can also learn more about paid family leave and what it would look like in Washington by visiting family.senatorfain.com. In addition to finding more about the plan, you can also use a calculator I developed that includes how much you would receive, and what it would cost you and your employer.

The legislation was approved on Friday and is scheduled to signed into law July 5, with the benefits being available beginning in 2020.