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‘Out of Office for Care’ Launches as 450,000 Women Leave U.S. Workforce

A Paid Leave for All action uses honest out-of-office replies to press Congress on paid leave.

Overview

  • The campaign invites workers to post truthful auto-replies about caregiving and aggregates them into a Digital Wall shown online, at airports in Washington and New York, and on a Times Square billboard.
  • Paid Leave for All will deliver the collected messages to Congress after the recess, positioning the effort as sustained pressure rather than a bid for immediate legislation.
  • Organizers highlight BLS data showing that more than 450,000 women have exited the workforce since January, with mothers of young children most affected.
  • Key factors cited include unaffordable childcare, reduced workplace flexibility, the lack of a national paid-leave policy, and many workers having no paid sick days or any PTO.
  • The Thanksgiving rollout underscores that holidays often become caregiving time for people managing newborn care, elder care, or medical needs instead of getting a break.