Who is Really Out of Office?

Dawn Huckelbridge, founding director of Paid Leave for All, reminds us that being out of the office is not simple for families. We couldn’t have said it better ourselves so we’ve printed an excerpt of her USA Today commentary for you here. 

Every year at Thanksgiving, inboxes fill with Out of Office replies. Sometimes they’re for happy reasons, family gatherings, holidays or vacation travel. Sometimes they’re not. 

What if we were honest about what keeps us from work or what pushes us out altogether, year-round? What if we told the real stories behind the auto message?

“I’m out of office because I can’t afford child care.”

“I’m out of office trying to find end-of-life care for my dad.”

“I’m out of office because I just gave birth, but don’t worry, like 1 in 4 working women in America, I’ll be back in the office in two weeks.”

“I’m out of office to take care of a sick kid and my spouse in PT, but, like millions of working people in the United States, I don’t have paid family leave at all from my job, so wish me luck.”

Or, “I’m out of office ‒ and like 450,000 other women this year, I won’t be coming back.”

These stats are all true, and for women pushed from the workforce, this is one of the biggest drops on record outside of the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, workers are citing burnout, skyrocketing costs and, yes, a shortage of affordable child care, lack of flexibility and paid leave ‒ all while lawmakers seem able to take all the time off they please with pay.

Without bold policy action – and transparency – soon, not only will families continue to free-fall, the economy will lose, too.

For many of us, there is no “out of office,” because millions of us lack either paid family or medical leave, paid sick days or paid time off of any kind. Many of us might have the ability to take time off, but it’s no vacation. It’s the invisible labor of a society that doesn’t value care or the people who provide it. 

The reality remains that today in this country, most families will need multiple breadwinners, which will increasingly be true as the costs of health care and family care increase. And we do not have the policies in place that allow families to thrive. Instead, our inaction is driving families to the brink. 

What if we could have time with family, the caregiving and baking and gardening and homemaking, and also formal work and public life, if we choose to? 

What if women, and all people, had access to paid leave when they needed it? What if they could spend months at a time with a new child, without that burnout and stress of paying the bills, not needing to hand their baby off to a stranger – if they didn’t choose to? 

What if women, and all people, had access to affordable or even free childcare and preschool? And affordable care for their parents and loved ones when they need it? 

What if we had a sustainable and flexible workplace, where we had support or freedom, even, over our lives? What if we all had some semblance of balance – of our choosing – and the ability to have rest, to find joy? What if we were able to be fully present, for our work and for our family? 

There are plenty of women who have the ability and love staying at home, and being a mother and wife first and foremost. As there are plenty of women who love work of all kinds, and plenty who love – and should be able to find a better balance between – both. This is all possible. 

In a time of division, this is something I believe we all share: At the end of the day, we all want the security and dignity of being able to support and be there for the people we love. We want the freedom to control our own lives.

This holiday season, as you might be setting your own OOO or negotiating your own time away or on the job, let’s tell the real stories, both of how hard things are behind the screen and also how profoundly different they can be. 

“I’m out of the office taking care of my family with paid time and a supportive workplace I can return to. That’s the future every working person in America deserves.”

Children First is working tirelessly to pass paid family & medical leave in Pennsylvania. Send a message to your state representative now to get it done.