Teachers praise bill for 6 weeks paid family, medical leave for all Nebraska educators

Proposal would create a 0.35% payroll fee to create a pooled account for long-term substitute teachers


Tim Royers, president of the Nebraska State Education Association, center, talks about 2025 priorities for the teachers union. Jan. 28, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/03/10/teachers-praise-bill-for-6-weeks-paid-family-medical-leave-for-all-nebraska-educators/

By: Zach Wendling - March 10, 2025 5:56 pm

LINCOLN — Sydney Jensen had scarcely taken a single day off of teaching in eight years before having her first child in 2020, often coming in sick to teach Nebraska students.

She had saved eight weeks of paid leave, but as she faced postpartum depression, she felt returning would be devastating for her mental health, and the eight weeks weren’t enough.

“In truth, I felt like I would not survive it,” Jensen said Monday.

The federal Family and Medical Leave Act allowed Jensen to extend her leave to a maximum of 12 allowable weeks for significant life events, but the final four weeks came without pay, leading to financial strain, worsening her postpartum depression and creating hardships for her growing family.

FULL story at link above.