Labor

Baby outbreak! Parody video pushes for paid family leave

Advocates are renewing their push for paid family leave laws with a parody video released Wednesday — think AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” the Make It Work campaign says, but with babies.

{mosads}In a mock breaking news broadcast, actress Kellee Stewart announces that there is an epidemic wiping out America’s workforce. It’s babies.

Stewart cuts to reporter “Chase Leeds” who is live on the scene.

“Babies have completely taken over this Atlanta mega-store after employees brought their babies to work when they couldn’t take time off or find child care, but needed to earn wages,” he tells viewers.

The newscast is later interrupted to cut to an “emergency press conference” at the White House.

Jeff Meacham, who stars in the ABC show “Blackish,” plays the role of the White House spokesman.

“Reports from officials confirm that the pandemic has ended in every industrialized country in the world except the United States,” he said.

“Now all other countries have solved the baby outbreak with something called, uh, paid family leave. I will need to confirm that pronunciation.”

The video comes less than two weeks before a presidential election in which both major-party candidates have proposed paid leave plans. Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has promised 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a new child or serious illness, and GOP nominee Donald Trump has offered six weeks for new mothers.

Congressional Republicans are opposed to any federal paid leave laws, calling them another burdensome regulation on American businesses.