Advocacy in Action: The Collaborative Art of Crafting Game-Changing Legislation
- Mark Fukae
- Jul 26, 2025
- 7 min read
By Mark Fukae, Director of Advocacy, Professionals Who Care. Founder, CASI - Caregiver Advocacy and Support Initiative.
For as long as I can remember, I've been driven by a profound belief: that our collective well-being hinges on how we care for each other. This deeply personal conviction is what propelled me into the challenging yet incredibly rewarding world of legislative advocacy. It's a journey I want to share with you as we kick off a new series, "Advocacy in Action," where we'll explore how ideas become real change.
From my experience, crafting effective legislation is much like writing a compelling story: the first draft is never the final masterpiece. The path from a heartfelt idea to a signed law isn't a straight line. It's intricate, demanding, and crucially, collaborative. Real strength and resilience emerge in the rewriting, where every challenge identified becomes an opportunity for improvement. This process, often driven by honest conversations with organizations and legislators, has been essential in shaping my proposed Colorado and Federal CARE Acts.
Engaging with diverse groups isn't just about rallying support. For me, it's about learning. These discussions show us the real-world impact of our ideas. They uncover potential sticking points, clarify what truly matters to various organizations, and reveal unforeseen practical hurdles. My commitment to a solid proposal means I actively seek out these insights, because I know even the most well-intentioned initial draft can be significantly improved by truly listening.
The Hidden Burden Behind Policy
Before we talk about solutions, we have to understand the sheer scale of the challenge. Colorado, my home, relies on roughly 584,000 family caregivers^1^. They provide an estimated 538 million hours of unpaid care annually, which is valued at about $7.9 billion in economic output^1^. Think about that contribution. Nationally, family caregivers provide more unpaid care than combined nursing home and paid home care^1^. Yet, this incredible dedication comes with a steep hidden cost. Employers nationally lose between $17 - $34 billion annually due to caregiver absenteeism, turnover, and work interruptions^2^. A MetLife study even estimates that working caregivers incur 8% higher healthcare costs, costing employers $13.4 billion annually^3^. These aren't just big numbers; they represent a significant drag on our economy and immense strain on our families.
Addressing the "Budget Crunch": Care as Investment, Not Cost
One of the biggest areas where feedback changed my thinking was around the idea of "cost" to businesses and concerns about tight budgets. Early conversations brought up genuine worries from business groups and legislators, who are keenly aware of federal and state budget pressures (like those we've seen with H.R. 1, which actually shifts huge burdens to states, as I've discussed before). The standard argument I heard was often, "this will impact our already strained budget."
But here's the powerful counter-narrative from our research and the core philosophy of my proposed Colorado Caregiver Accommodations & Rights Expansion Act (Senate Bill 25-001, or the Colorado CARE Act): this legislation is not a cost; it's an essential investment in our collective future.
Look at the numbers. Colorado employers already face significant expenses related to caregiving's impact. One analysis found over $564 million lost annually in productivity losses linked to caregiving, projected to reach over $1 billion by 2030^4^. And nationwide, the average cost of employee turnover is about $15,000 per person^5^.
My proposed Colorado CARE Act directly addresses these costs by turning them into opportunities. Pilot data shows that companies investing in caregiver support see strong returns: documented reductions in turnover by up to 80%, absenteeism by 30%, and improved satisfaction and retention^6^. Foundational research, including studies on flexible policies, even suggests returns of $2.80 -$3.28 for every dollar spent on such programs^6^.
This is exactly why my proposal uses a budget-neutral framework built on existing FAMLI infrastructure, not new employer taxes. Instead, it offers strong incentives like recognition, priority for state contracts, tax credits, and small business grant support. This transforms a perceived cost into a measurable economic gain. This strategic shift, directly shaped by valuable feedback, turned a sticking point into a potential partnership and a win-win for everyone.
Leveraging FAMLI: An Existing Path with Untapped Potential
Another crucial area for refining the bill came from feedback about using existing legislative frameworks. In Colorado, the Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program has been a major step forward, offering vital wage replacement. For instance, Colorado's FAMLI program contribution rate is 0.9% of wages, split 50/50 between employer and employee, and it's even dropping slightly to 0.88% in 2026 under recent amendments^7^.
Yet, despite this solid infrastructure, its full potential for caregiving often goes untapped. National data shows that while 21.9% of workers take some kind of leave weekly, only 6.9% take leave that officially qualifies as family and medical leave^8^. And while state forecasts estimate claims rising from ~1.17 million in 2024 to over 1.26 million in 2025 as FAMLI becomes more established^9^, there's still significant room for growth, especially for family caregivers.
But fear, not just bureaucracy, is a silent saboteur of access. Even with the job protections written into the Colorado FAMLI program (after 180 days of employment), many workers simply don't feel secure invoking their rights. Research confirms this: a 2022 Urban Institute report found that fear of job loss or retaliation was a top reason why eligible workers chose not to apply for paid leave, especially in non-unionized, lower-income sectors^10^. The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) acknowledged this issue in 2023 listening sessions, noting worries about employer backlash^11^. The National Partnership for Women & Families points out that women and workers of color disproportionately don't take leave they're entitled to because these fears are real, often made worse by not knowing their legal protections^12^. It's not always overt; workers report subtle employer discouragement, being passed over for promotions, or feeling "less committed." Our current system for Colorado FAMLI has limited data on racial, gender, and caregiver status usage, meaning these equity concerns often go unmeasured, letting systemic discrimination go undetected.
That's why the Colorado CARE Act doesn't just track numbers. It aims to dig deeper, investigating why caregivers aren't using available support systems and creating cultural change through voluntary business certifications, careful equity monitoring, and comprehensive community education. This proposed FAMLI Integration Study directly responds to these fears, ensuring we understand the true barriers and empower workers to use the benefits they've earned.
Expanding Impact Through Caregiver Training & Skill Development
Beyond policy and financial structures, feedback also highlighted the very practical needs of caregivers. My proposal addresses this by including a Caregiver Skill Development and Training Initiative. Improving caregiver training, things like offering CNA certification pathways and financial support to unpaid family caregivers, has a powerful double return. It clearly enhances care quality, and it also reduces avoidable health system costs, such as hospitalizations and premature institutional placements. While specific Colorado outcomes from such new programs are limited, similar research on boosting informal caregiver skills has shown stronger patient outcomes, delayed needs for institutional care, and significant cost avoidance. This strongly supports our call for this investment.
This aspect is all about truly empowering caregivers with the skills and confidence to provide the best possible care, which in turn reduces the burden on our healthcare systems in the long run.
The Collaborative Art of Legislation: Benefits for All
No piece of legislation is perfect in its first version. The true strength of policy development lies in this continuous, iterative process: the willingness to listen, adapt, and rewrite. My experience, turning stakeholder feedback and even resistance into co-created solutions, directly aligns with evidence-based policymaking. Policies that truly involve legislators, businesses, and advocacy organizations through ongoing dialogue tend to produce more effective, enduring outcomes. My approach, seeking conversations, identifying challenges, then adjusting the design, is, I believe, the hallmark of successful advocacy.
When we invest in caregiver support, through thoughtful legislation like my proposed Colorado and Federal CARE Acts, we're not just helping individuals. We're building stronger communities, fostering a more resilient workforce, and ensuring that every Coloradan, and indeed every American, has the support they need to thrive. This truly affects us all, paving the way for a future where collective well-being is our greatest abundance.
Your Voice Matters. Take Action!
The pervasive discrimination faced by caregivers, particularly those in disadvantaged groups, represents a critical challenge to building truly inclusive and productive workplaces. Your engagement is essential to bridging this understanding gap and advocating for policies that support our diverse workforce. Every share, every comment, every moment of engagement contributes to a future where workplaces genuinely work for everyone.
Share Your Story: Have you experienced the fallout of caregiver discrimination or distant policy? Share your story with us at https://www.professionalswhocare.org/your-story. We're amplifying voices that can truly close the gap.
Learn more about Professionals Who Care (PWC) and our mission: https://www.professionalswhocare.org/
Discover the Caregiver Advocacy and Support Initiative (CASI): https://casiadvocacy.org/
Explore the details of the Colorado CARE Act: https://casiadvocacy.org/our-legislative-solutions/
Understand the impact of the Federal CARE Act: https://casiadvocacy.org/our-legislative-solutions/
Join our growing movement and sign our petition: https://chng.it/zHbMzKnBwJ
Let's keep the conversation going: Share your thoughts in the comments on how policies have impacted your life or the lives of those you care for.
References
AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving. (2024). Caregiving in the U.S. report. AARP Public Policy Institute.
MetLife Mature Market Institute. (2023). The MetLife Caregiving Cost Study: Productivity losses to U.S. business.
MetLife Mature Market Institute. (2023). Working & caregiving: Health costs study.
Gonzalez, M., & Smith, J. (2024). Economic impact of family caregiving on Colorado employers. University of Colorado Institute for Policy Research.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024). Employee turnover costs.
Deloitte. (2022). The ROI of workplace flexibility.
Colorado Department of Labor & Employment. (2023). Colorado FAMLI program report.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024). Leave-utilization rates among U.S. workers.
Colorado Department of Labor & Employment. (2024). FAMLI program forecast report.
Urban Institute. (2022). Why eligible workers don't use paid leave.
Colorado Department of Labor & Employment. (2023). FAMLI listening sessions report.
National Partnership for Women & Families. (2023). Paid leave and equity: Barriers for women and workers of color.
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