National Family Leave Insurance Act introduced in Congress

The Family Leave Insurance Act of 2009 would provide 12 weeks of paid benefits to workers who need time off to care for a new child, ill family member, service member returning from combat, or their own illness. The program covers all employees who have paid into the fund and worked for their current employer for 6 months.

Benefits are tiered, with 100% of weekly earnings up to $20,000, 75% up to $30,000, 55% up to $60,000, 45% up to $97,000, 40% above $97,000. (Employees may use other leave to supplement.) Financing is shared between employers, employees, and federal government. Employees pay 0.2% of wages ($7 per month at median income). Employers with 20+ employees pay 0.2% of payroll; employers with fewer than 20 employees pay 0.1% of payroll.

States with materially equivalent or better paid leave programs may opt out, and companies with materially equivalent or better benefits can opt out and self-insure. The Department of Labor will contract with states to administer the program, and contract with the Social Security Commissioner in states that choose not to administer.

Healthy Families Act means more workers can care for family and self

Maybe swine flu tipped the balance when people’s kids had to come to work due to closed schools. Or the cratering economy made more people fear job loss for taking a sick day. Or employers started noticing the very real costs of presenteeism. Regardless, it’s never been more apparent that every worker needs access to paid sick days, in order to care for themselves and their family.

The timing couldn’t be better for national legislation to address this matter —  and Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) have stepped up to the plate by introducing the Healthy Families Act (Senate Bill 1152, House Resolution 2460).

HFA would guarantee every worker the right to earn up to seven paid sick days per year, ensuring people would no longer have to choose between getting a paycheck and their recovery when they get sick or need to care for a sick family member.

The bill requires employers with 15 or more employees to let workers earn up to seven paid sick days per year, to be used to address an employee’s short-term medical needs, such as the flu, or those of his or her family. It includes pro-rated leave for part-time employees, and sick days can be used for an employee’s medical appointments, preventative or diagnostic treatment; and to care for a family member with comparable needs.