Georgia’s Family Care Act is now permanent law!

Working class families in Georgia can breathe a sigh of relief because a crucial protection they have relied on since 2017 is now permanent law! The Georgia Family Care Act ensures that workers who receive paid sick leave from their employer can use up to 5 of those days to care for a sick family member, not just their own sickness.

A Better Balance supported the campaign to pass this law in 2017, but initially included a three-year sunset clause. Sunset required lawmakers to renew the law every three years or else it would expire. This put Georgia families in a precarious position, prompting attorneys to spend valuable time and resources continuing to defend a law that was already working well across the state.

During this legislature, the Georgia state legislature, with near-unanimous support, passed legislation repealing the Sunset provision and making the Family Care Act permanent law! A Better Balance was honored to work with our partners at 9to5 Georgia and the Georgia Coalition for Paid Leave to support this important victory for working families.

Since 2017, the Family Care Act has provided important protections for working Georgians with care responsibilities. By ensuring workers can use their paid sick leave to stay home and care for sick loved ones, the law helps families remain financially stable and reduces the spread of disease in the community. The bipartisan vote to make this law permanent reflects the growing momentum for increased access to paid leave across the South to support the health and economic security of working families.

A Better Balance is committed to continuing to work with our Georgia partners to ensure all families across the state have the time they need to care for themselves and their loved ones without risking their paychecks or life savings.