Nicole Raz

WMAL

VIENNA, AUSTRIA (WMAL) — The DC Council is considering a proposal to provide up to 16 weeks of paid leave annually for significant family or medical issues. Any D.C. resident, or any employee of a D.C.-based private company would be eligible. It’s been dubbed a “European-style” law–and Europeans say rightly so.

The US has to catch up to the rest of the world at some point, says a German man visiting Vienna.

“What the Europeans are doing is a model, and the Americans will have the same ideas.” 

Four months of paid leave would beat Austria’s minimum of two months, says this Austrian woman.

“It’s good it’s better,” she says. ” Four months better than two months.”

DC could possibly join California, New Jersey and Rhode Island in having paid leave laws. And many Europeans say —that’s it?

“What took so long?” a German woman said.

“I think America is behind Europe,” an Austrian man said.

While four months of leave would beat Austria’s minimum, Austrians say they still get more vacation time and they’re happy with their healthcare.

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