Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends worker paid leave laws.

Highlights:

• Requires the State Insurance Fund to provide insurance for benefit payments for an employee’s disability compensation resulting from injury, sickness, pregnancy, or “family care leave” (Sec. 1).

• Defines “family care leave” as any leave taken by an employee for the following reasons (Sec. 5):
• To provide physical or psychological care for a “family member” with a “serious health condition;” 
• To “bond” with his or her child during the first 12 months after the child’s birth or after the placement of the child with the employee for adoption or foster care; or
• To fulfill a pressing need arising from the employee’s spouse, domestic partner, child, or parent’s impending call to or active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States. 

• Defines “family member” as a spouse, domestic partner, parent, grandchild, grandparent, sibling, parent of a spouse or domestic partner, or biological, adoptive, foster, or step-child (Sec. 5).

• Defines “serious health condition” as an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that requires inpatient care at a medical facility or continuing treatment from a health care provider (Sec. 5). 

• Requires an employee to contribute up to $0.45 per week to the State Insurance Fund to provide for the cost of family care benefits for an employee (Secs. 5 & 11).

• Specifies that an employee on family care leave will receive a weekly benefit of two-thirds of his or her average weekly wage, but no more than the following statewide average weekly wages (Sec. 8):
• 35 percent beginning January 1, 2015;
• 40 percent beginning April 1, 2016; 
• 45 percent beginning April 1, 2017; and
• 50 percent beginning April 1, 2018. 

• Specifies that an employee is eligible for benefits for no more than the following periods (Sec. 9):
• 26 weeks of leave per year resulting from injury, sickness, or pregnancy; or
• 12 weeks of leave per year for family care. 

Full Bill Text