It’s time to fix this.

Wisconsin can be a place where we all—regardless of race or place—have what we need to make ends meet and care for our families.

But as our hard work has made the wealthy few in Wisconsin even richer, they’ve rigged the rules to redirect resources from everyday families, stirring fears based on what we look like and where we come from. The result? A lack of basic supports makes it incredibly difficult for parents and caregivers to get to work. If we really want to address Wisconsin’s workforce challenges, decision makers need to make it easier for people to get or keep jobs.

Last week, Governor Evers called for a special session to address the child care crisis and need for paid leave in our state. This is a critical opportunity to work together to make it easier for parents and caregivers to get to work.

Access to Affordable Child Care

Wisconsin’s lack of accessible child care short-changes children and makes getting to work for parents difficult, while those who can find care struggle to pay for it. This also holds women back professionally, especially women of color. Earlier this year the legislature gutted critical supports that have kept families afloat. The governor’s plan includes $365 million to invest in the successful Child Care Counts and Partner Up! Programs.

Child Care Counts

One in 3 programs in Wisconsin stated that they would have closed without Child Care Counts payments. To date it has helped more than 4,200 child care providers keep their doors open, ensuring the employment of 22,000 child care professionals and allowing providers to continue to provide high-quality care to more than 113,000 kids.

Partner Up!

This is a public-private partnership that splits tuition costs at child care centers – employers cover one-quarter of the cost for their workers while the state pays for the remainder.

Paid Family & Medical Leave

Paid leave is critically necessary in Wisconsin because the vast majority of workers in the state do not have access to paid time off to care for a sick child. And, workers paid low wages—disproportionately women and people of color—are even less likely to have these employer-provided benefits.

Gov. Evers is again proposing creating a first-of-its-kind Wisconsin Paid Family and Medical Leave program. By 2026, this program would be funded entirely by workers’ and employers’ contributions, providing up to 12 weeks of paid time off.

Wisconsin is in a strong fiscal position to make this happen. The state’s historically large surplus is an opportunity to build a stronger foundation for children and families in our state, and shared prosperity means that we all pay our fair share so we can provide families with what they need to thrive.

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