🚨 Protect NH Paid Leave—Stop HB 517 in the Senate!

New Hampshire moms, parents, and caregivers are facing yet another attack on our state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Plan (NH PFML). HB 517, which recently passed the House, would repeal the program’s critical marketing and outreach budget, severely limiting public awareness and participation.

When NH PFML launched two years ago, we knew it wasn’t perfect—but it was an important step to help working families balance their caregiving responsibilities without sacrificing a paycheck. Without funding for outreach, many Granite State workers and small businesses won’t even know this support exists, putting the entire program’s effectiveness at risk.

This amendment was passed quietly in the House without a public hearing or opportunity for public input, and the same damaging cut to outreach is included in the House budget currently moving forward.

Paid family and medical leave is crucial for Granite State families, our workforce, and small businesses. It helps families care for loved ones, supports economic stability, and keeps caregivers in the workforce. Instead of undermining this essential program, New Hampshire should be building on its foundation and expanding its reach—not quietly dismantling it piece by piece.

Tell the Senate Finance Committee: Vote NO on HB 517, protect outreach funding, and commit to improving paid leave with the stability and transparency Granite Staters deserve!

Dear Senator,

As one of thousands of MomsRising members in New Hampshire, I urge you to vote NO on HB 517, a harmful bill that would eliminate crucial marketing and outreach funding for New Hampshire’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Plan, severely restricting awareness and limiting the program’s impact.

In 2021, New Hampshire took an important step forward by passing the Paid Family and Medical Leave Plan as part of the state budget. While the program is far from perfect, it provides a critical starting point to help families balance work and caregiving responsibilities. The program ensures that thousands of Granite State workers—more than 23,000 to date—can access paid leave to recover from illness, bond with a new child, or care for an aging or seriously ill family member.

The amended version of this bill, which received no public hearing or public input, repeals the modest $200,000 marketing budget necessary for outreach and education about the program. Without outreach, fewer workers and businesses will know paid leave even exists, severely limiting its effectiveness and undermining its purpose.

Additionally, any agreement with the insurance carrier to cover some of this essential outreach does not provide the stability Granite Staters deserve. Relying solely on a private entity to fund critical outreach leaves our paid leave program vulnerable to sudden changes—or worse, complete loss of awareness and participation. New Hampshire families and businesses need reliable, consistent support.

Without this program, families would again face impossible choices between earning a paycheck and caring for their loved ones. For a state like New Hampshire—one of the oldest in the nation and already struggling to attract and retain young families and workers—paid leave is a vital policy. It allows families to thrive while staying in or moving to New Hampshire, helping to build a strong and vibrant workforce. Paid leave is also a tool for small businesses, giving them the ability to support employees during life’s critical moments while improving retention and productivity.

New Hampshire’s families, small businesses, and economy benefit when paid leave is accessible and widely known. We should be investing in improvements and expanding awareness, not quietly dismantling the program piece by piece.

I urge you to stand with New Hampshire families and ask that you vote NO on HB 517, protect outreach funding, and commit to improving paid leave so more Granite Staters can access this critical support.

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