A Bill has been introduced in the US House of Representatives that would grant employees 12 weeks’ paid leave in any 12 month period.
Under the proposed Family Leave Insurance Act, employees would have to work for at least 625 hours in the six months before making an application to be eligible to take leave. They would be entitled to take leave if the need arose because of their own illness, to care for a sick family member or a new child.
The programme would be jointly funded by equal contributions from employers and employees and benefits would be tiered so that those earning less than $30,000 PA (£18,750) would receive their full salary whereas “higher earners” (those earning more than $60,000 (£37,500)) would have their pay capped at $800 a week (£500).
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This bill is in the first stage of the legislation process. If enacted the provisions would come into force in 2011.
