Meghan Markle is doubling down on her push for Congress to pass federal paid family leave — by donating $25 Starbucks gift cards to the staff of a national nonprofit pushing the proposal.
Paid Leave for the United States spokesman Neil Stroka tweeted Saturday that the Duchess of Sussex “bought everyone @PaidLeaveUS a few cups of coffee while we’re working overtime to #SavePaidLeave.”
“Unbelievably classy… and necessary,” Sroka posted. “Truly honored to know she has our backs in the fight to win #PaidLeaveForAll.”
Markle, who originally hails from Los Angeles, previously issued a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
In the letter, Markle claimed a national paid parental leave program would help women in particular stay in the workforce, after millions quit their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic to look after children and other family full-time.
The Duchess insisted that “[p]aid leave should be a national right, rather than a patchwork option limited to those whose employers have policies in place, or those who live in one of the few states where a leave program exists.
Just six states — including New York and New Jersey — offer some form of paid family leave, as does the District of Columbia. Three others — Connecticut, Colorado and Oregon — have paid family leave laws that have yet to go into effect.
President Biden’s proposed paid parental and family leaver plan is reportedly on the chopping block as Democrats try to negotiate the final details of the Democrats’ sprawling social spending bill.
Markle and her husband Prince Harry — who have left the royal family — have an estimated net worth of around $10 million, according to Forbes.