US lawmaker takes four months paid leave after blocking it for workers
A US congressman’s four-month paid absence for depression highlights the stark divide between American and European labour protections.
Republican Tom Kean Jr. has returned to Congress after a four-month absence for inpatient depression treatment, during which he missed over 100 votes but continued collecting his $174,000 salary and full benefits.
His office initially cited only a "personal health matter" in late April. His father, former New Jersey governor Tom Kean Sr, told CNN in May it was a temporary illness. Kean himself later attributed the lack of transparency to being a "private person by nature".
His ability to take extended paid leave contrasts sharply with his legislative record. Kean voted against New Jersey’s Earned Sick Leave Act, which mandates five paid sick days annually. He also voted against the state's No Surprise Medical Bills act and two separate paid family leave laws in 2008 and 2018.
This discrepancy underscores a fundamental divergence between the US and European economic models. The US remains the only OECD country without a national paid leave policy. While certain employers provide mental health leave and some states have their own programmes, the absence of a federal mandate leaves millions of workers financially exposed during health crises.
The burden falls disproportionately on the lowest earners. According to a 2024 Department of Labor fact sheet, 95% of the lowest wage workers—who are predominately women and people of colour—have no access to paid family leave. Furthermore, 90% lack access to short-term disability leave.
Kean has also supported Donald Trump’s "big, beautiful bill", which proposes deep cuts to Medicaid and Medicare. These cuts threaten to further strain safety nets for vulnerable populations, including those dealing with severe health conditions or disabilities.
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez noted the core issue facing taxpayers who fund his salary: “There’s a valid discussion here about when it comes to the volume of an absence, what is our responsibility to our constituents in communicating around that?”
For European observers accustomed to robust statutory sick pay, the episode is a stark reminder of the deep structural inequalities embedded in the American labour market. It highlights a system where elected officials can access extended paid medical absences while actively dismantling the limited safety nets available to ordinary workers.
