Vetoed by Governor Chris Sununu

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that established paid family and medical leave insurance.

Highlights:

• Defintes “family and medical leave” as leave from work for the following reasons (Sec. B-2):

• The birth of a child by an employee, within the last 12 months;

• The adoption of a child, legal guardianship, or fostering by an employee within the 12 months;

• A serious health condition of a family member of an employee;

• A serious health condition of the employee that isn’t related to employment; or

• A qualifying need arising from the foreign deployment with the Armed Forces, or to care for a servicemember with a serious illness or injury, as permitted under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.

• Authorizes an employee to take up to 12 weeks of family or medical leave annually (Sec. B-6).

• Requires the employee to have family and medical leave insurance (FMLI) premium payments taken out of their wages for at least 6 months to become eligible for benefits (Sec. 6).

• Requires the Department of Employment Security to create and administer a FMLI fund for the deposit of insurance payments (Sec. B-4).

• Requires employers to send FMLI payments of 0.5 percent of wages per employee per week, for each quarter from employee paychecks (Sec. B-3).

• Requires an employee file a written application with both the Department and with their employer with a notice of intent to take a leave of absence, at least 30 days before the leave will begin. Failure to provide the required notice may delay or reduce their leave benefits (Sec. B-5).

• Prohibits an employer from retaliating against any employee for exercising their rights under this bill, and requires the employee to be restored to the  position they held prior to taking leave (Sec. B-5).

• Authorizes employers to self-insure their employees with a benefit program equal to the state family and medical leave insurance program (Sec. B-3).

• Authorizes the Commissioner of Employment Security to raise or reduce premiums in order to to ensure the solvency of the fund (Sec. B-10).

• Establishes a FMLI advisory council to review and evaluate on a quarterly basis, and after 2 years of administration, the commissioner shall assess utilization, finances, and benefit levels, and provide a rate adjustment or fiscal recommendations (B-11).

• Specifies that the bill will take effect 60 days after its passage (Sec. A-128).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that established paid family and medical leave insurance.

Highlights:

• Defintes “family and medical leave” as leave from work for the following reasons (Sec. B-2):

• The birth of a child by an employee, within the last 12 months;

• The adoption of a child, legal guardianship, or fostering by an employee within the 12 months;

• A serious health condition of a family member of an employee;

• A serious health condition of the employee that isn’t related to employment; or

• A qualifying need arising from the foreign deployment with the Armed Forces, or to care for a servicemember with a serious illness or injury, as permitted under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.

• Authorizes an employee to take up to 12 weeks of family or medical leave annually (Sec. B-6).

• Requires the employee to have family and medical leave insurance (FMLI) premium payments taken out of their wages for at least 6 months to become eligible for benefits (Sec. 6).

• Requires the Department of Employment Security to create and administer a FMLI fund for the deposit of insurance payments (Sec. B-4).

• Requires employers to send FMLI payments of 0.5 percent of wages per employee per week, for each quarter from employee paychecks (Sec. B-3).

• Requires an employee file a written application with both the Department and with their employer with a notice of intent to take a leave of absence, at least 30 days before the leave will begin. Failure to provide the required notice may delay or reduce their leave benefits (Sec. B-5).

• Prohibits an employer from retaliating against any employee for exercising their rights under this bill, and requires the employee to be restored to the  position they held prior to taking leave (Sec. B-5).

• Authorizes employers to self-insure their employees with a benefit program equal to the state family and medical leave insurance program (Sec. B-3).

• Authorizes the Commissioner of Employment Security to raise or reduce premiums in order to to ensure the solvency of the fund (Sec. B-10).

• Establishes a FMLI advisory council to review and evaluate on a quarterly basis, and after 2 years of administration, the commissioner shall assess utilization, finances, and benefit levels, and provide a rate adjustment or fiscal recommendations (B-11).

• Specifies that the bill will take effect 60 days after its passage (Sec. A-128).

Full Bill Text