For New Hampshire Democrats, paid family leave comes to front of strategy
It was perhaps the worst possible time for Marlana Ramsey to suffer a heart attack.
She was 33-weeks pregnant with twins. She and her husband Chris were juggling the pregnancy, his work responsibilities, and their two other children, ages three and six. And the family was on the way to a major move to Indianapolis, courtesy of a lucrative work opportunity for Chris.
April 28, 2017, upended nearly all of it.
Rushed to the hospital, Ramsey had a heart condition that required drastic medical attention. The twins were born a month later via emergency C-section. Months after, surgeons installed a valve to support her heart. A year after that – this spring – she received a heart transplant. A scar from the procedure is visible just below her neck.
Ramsey had four children to raise, and a condition that made lifting simple items a challenge. The Indianapolis move was called off; Chris turned down his new position and continued his lower-paying job. He applied for paid leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act through his work. After a year, he was approved, receiving three paid days a month to help care for the family.
Read more: https://www.concordmonitor.com/For-New-Hampshire-Democrats-paid-family-leave-comes-to-front-of-strategy-20812096