MISSOULA — U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas Perez says the lack of a paid family leave policy is hurting the nation’s global competitiveness and a low minimum wage amounts to corporate welfare.
The Missoulian reports Perez spoke Tuesday in Missoula at the consulting company Advanced Technology Group and a University of Montana conference.
Perez says employees should not have to worry about paying bills when they take maternity or paternity leave. He says not requiring paid leave for the birth of a child hurts the family structure and the nation’s competitiveness.
Perez says raising the minimum wage would remove up to 3 million people from food stamp rolls and save taxpayers money from what he called corporate welfare. He says people with higher wages would spend more money and create a “virtuous cycle” for the economy.