PL+US

New Campaign Campaigns

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  Starbucks: Dads need time to bond with their babies too!

  I’ve been a barista at Starbucks for nearly 4 years in multiple states and currently work in Wilsonville, Oregon. My wife is due to give birth to our first baby in less than 2 weeks. For so many soon-to-be fathers, feeling anxious is normal, but I’m even more nervous because we don’t have access to any paid parental leave. In order to help support my wife during her pregnancy, I used up some of my vacation and sick time, which is now running short. Currently, I have a week and a half left of vacation or sick time which I expect to use after our delivery. Our benefits allowed us the family planning financial assistance necessary for infertility treatment, but now the ability to be present during the most crucial stage of my family’s development is in jeopardy. As a single income family with a new infant, we simply cannot afford to take unpaid time off. The current partner benefits system works against expecting parents, something we have unfortunately found out the hard way. The part time disability that my wife and I pay into does not allow any paid time off to care for my wife after birth, because pregnancy is considered as a preexisting condition. As our child is scheduled to arrive during the holiday season, the ability to be a part of the postpartum process is even more worrisome. I made the choice to work at Starbucks after a 17 year long career because I have received great benefits, including health insurance. I’m a partner and a shareholder in the company - but when it comes to paid family leave, it’s as if my contributions and sacrifices to Starbucks don't matter. It is incredibly frustrating to know that new fathers who work in the corporate office receive 12 weeks paid parental leave - time that would make a world of difference for my family. These rights should be offered to every partner, in every retail store, and would impress upon the company an even more supportive and fulfilling workplace. I’m sharing my story because I know that it’s not just me who needs to be able to take paid parental leave - I’ve talked to so many other men at work who are shocked to find out that we don’t receive any paid time to be there when we have children. The time of fathers and husbands to only be financial contributors has come and gone. My desire to be an equal part of the rearing of my children and caretaker seem to be a concept that Starbucks has yet to consider. For relationships like ours, that don’t have assistance from family and friends, we equally rely on each other in times of health and hardships. Currently, Starbucks employees who work in the corporate office receive 12 weeks of paid parental leave, and birthing mothers receive an additional 6 weeks (18 weeks total). For those of us who work in the stores, birthing mothers and adoptive parents receive 6 weeks paid parental leave - but dads are completely left out - we don’t receive any time at all.

  88 of 100 Signatures

  Created by Ryk and PL+US
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  Starbucks: Extend paid parental leave policy to ALL employees

  I was a barista at Starbucks a little over a year ago when my kids were small. Overall it was a great place to work, with nice regulars and a hardworking manager who’s a dad like me. So I was really surprised when I saw Starbucks make an announcement on January 19, 2017 that it would be updating its parental leave policy in the U.S. starting in October 2017. At first, the new policy sounded great: new parents in their corporate office will be getting some of the most generous paid leave in the industry -- at least 12 weeks of fully paid time off - which is the way it should be. But partners in the stores will be getting much less: barista moms are getting less than half of what corporate HQ moms get (six weeks paid at 100% of their annual pay), and for barista dads like I was or adoptive parents? Nothing. Not a single day of paid parental leave for those hard working, and deserving parents in the U.S. We would only be allowed unpaid leave. When I worked there, I felt like Starbucks worked hard to take care of their employees and overall, is a progressive company. Giving all new parents the same amount of leave whether they’re in the stores or the corporate office should be a no-brainer. It’s something you’d expect a company like Starbucks to just do automatically. For me, a working dad, it’s an obvious choice. But sometimes a large corporation needs a little nudge to get their attention. Join me in asking Starbucks to do better for all of their employees - including their baristas!

  4,887 of 5,000 Signatures
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  Publix: The worst paid family leave policy

  A few months ago, I became a dad to Fynlee and becoming her dad has been one of the greatest joys of my life and the time I get to spend with her is precious. But my employer, Publix, doesn’t offer any paid family leave, so after she was born I was left with no option but to use my vacation days to have the time I needed to bond with Fynlee. It wasn’t nearly enough. Even after only three months, I can see the difference between the connection she has with me and the connection she has with her mom. I try to make her smile the way she smiles with her mom, but it’s not the same because I’m not the one spending all the time with her. After reading PL+US’ 2018 Employer Scorecard, I learned that Publix is the worst employer for families -- they provide zero weeks of paid family leave. I’ve been at Publix for 15 years and I love working there, but the values they show their customers are very different from the reality facing Publix employees. When I found out that they don’t offer any paid leave, I was disappointed. And I’m not alone. A coworker with a five-month-old baby shared with me that she only had one week of paid short-term disability and seven weeks of FMLA, which is unpaid. It’s sad when you see mothers coming back to work at Publix so soon after giving birth. When I tried to use my sick days to help support Fynlee’s mom while she recovered, I was told that it wasn’t allowed. And I couldn’t afford to use FMLA because our family couldn’t go without a paycheck. Fathers have a role as caregivers too, but we can’t do that if we’re not given the time. Some days I see my fiancé and Fynlee for only a couple of hours because of my workload. I do my best. I am there, just not as much as I’d hope any father could be. Join me in asking Publix to take this opportunity to lead the way in creating a workplace where families can thrive. Ask Publix to introduce a 12 weeks paid family and medical leave policy for all employees.

  6,121 of 7,000 Signatures

  Created by Adam Nolan
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  Tell Whole Foods' billionaire bosses to protect their employees and customers

  Whole Foods can afford to do better. The grocery store chain and its parent company, Amazon, are raking in profits during the pandemic. To slow the spread of the virus among Whole Foods employees and customers, CEO John Mackey needs to immediately institute a permanent comprehensive paid leave policy. That includes guaranteed paid sick time, paid family and medical leave, and paid time off to be vaccinated. Join us and Whole Foods employees in calling on Whole Foods to live up to their virtues by giving their employees the opportunity to put their wellness and their families first now and in the future.

  3 of 100 Signatures

  Created by Bridget Shea
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  Marriott: live up to your values, expand your paid family leave policy!

  My name is Malissa and I work for Marriott at a hotel in Phoenix, Arizona. My husband and I want to start a family, but we are delaying because the paid family leave that I get from Marriott is not enough for us to care for a new baby and make ends meet. One of Marriott’s core values is “take care of associates and they will take care of the customers,” but my coworkers and I don’t feel like we are taken care of well enough. They only offer two weeks of paid parental leave, plus half-pay of disability leave for childbirth recovery. No one can afford to start a family on that! That's why I started a petition asking Marriott to expand their paid family leave policy. Join me in asking Marriott to expand their paid family leave policy. Marriott became the number one hotel company in the world since they merged with Starwood properties, but it's pathetic that a company can hold such a high rank in the world and only offer two weeks paid parental leave. My husband and I delayed starting a family this year because we could not afford to miss work. Now we are worried we may have to delay starting a family another year for the same reason. I like my job, but I am now considering the possibility of leaving Marriott for a company with a better-paid family leave policy. Join me in asking Marriott to live up to its values and expand their paid family leave policy. Let's show them that employees and customers care so they can improve their paid family leave policy.

  75 of 100 Signatures

  Created by Malissa Ireland and PL+US
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  Gap Inc: Provide Quality Paid Parental Leave for Your Employees!

  I try to shop responsibly when I can. As a very pregnant mother-to-be, I felt good about shopping at The Gap for my maternity clothes because of their recent ad campaign around closing the wage gap facing women in the workplace. That’s why I was shocked to find out that The Gap offers only the bare minimum of paid leave to new moms, and nothing to dads or adoptive parents. If The Gap wants to support working women and the issue of equal pay, then this is a critical gap in its workplace that needs to be addressed. Women make 77 cents on the dollar (even less if they are women of color) compared to every dollar an equally qualified man makes. One of the main causes of wage inequality at the workplace is corporations’ shameful track record when it comes to parental leave. Providing quality paid family leave that is available to moms AND dads is one of the first, most critical steps a company can do to help to close the wage gap. When both women and men have equal access to quality paid family leave, women have more equal footing in the workplace. It’s just that simple. Recently, a number of other major retail companies have announced far-reaching paid family leave policies for both moms and dads -- companies like Levis, Nike, even Ikea. Launching an advertising campaign designed to appeal to working women when in reality The Gap leaves too many working women hanging in the balance is nothing more than window-dressing. Women deserve more than a hashtag. It’s time for The Gap to put their policies where their ad campaign is: help #CloseThePayGap by providing quality paid family leave to ALL Gap employees.

  30 of 100 Signatures

  Created by Pauli and PL+US