U.S. Chamber of Commerce Releases New Paid Family Leave Report Highlighting the Patchwork of Laws in the States
Since 1993, when the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was passed, workers at businesses with more than 50 employees have been able to take family and medical leave for events like the birth of a child or to care for a family member. However, this federal leave guarantee is unpaid. A number of states have subsequently gone beyond the FMLA and enacted their own paid family leave programs.
Unfortunately, these state (and in a few cases local) paid family leave laws do not look alike. They have different funding streams, different events that trigger leave, different wage replacement rates, different eligibility requirements, and different durations. Tracking these varying elements is challenging for multi-state and nationwide employers.
“A Policy Patchwork: paid family leave laws in the states” is an in-depth look at the paid leave laws in the 10 states/cities that have them. The patchwork effect of these laws becomes apparent across the variables mentioned above, and highlights the difficulties employers have in interpreting and applying them.
The report also includes some recommendations for future state or federal paid family leave laws, and was prepared with the assistance of Seyfarth Shaw LLP.
