By: David Elliot

In 1992, Lauren and her husband Steve, of Mercerville, New Jersey, welcomed their daughter Stephanie to the family.  They didn’t know it at the time, but they would become the textbook argument for paid family and medical leave, both in their home state and across the country.

“Like most expectant mothers, I thought I would have a typical maternity leave and go right back to work,” Lauren recalls.  “But unfortunately Stephanie was born with a serious kidney disease and her kidney function was only 15 percent.”

Lauren used all of her accrued sick, personal and vacation time to stay at home and care for her newborn daughter.  After six months, she went back to work, but Stephanie was still sick – and Lauren had to take a second leave.

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