Signed by Governor Ned Lamont

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

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

Highlights:

• Defines a “covered employee” as one of the following (Sec. 1):

• An individual who has earned at least $2,325 from one or more employers during the employee’s highest earning quarter within the five most recently completed calendar quarters, whether or not they are employed currently;

• A self-employed individual or sole proprietor enrolled in the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program; or

• A covered public employee.

• Defines a “covered public employee” as one of the following (Sec. 1):

• An individual who is employed in state service and is not in a bargaining unit that is established inclusive of the general statutes; or

• A member of a collective bargaining unit that has negotiated inclusion in the program in accordance to several statues, extending to those not in the bargaining unit if a municipal employer or local or regional board of education negotiates inclusion in the program for members the collective bargaining unit.

• Defines “employer” as a person engaged in any activity, enterprise, or business who employs one or more employees, and includes any person who acts, directly or indirectly, in the interest of an employer to any of the employees of such employer and any successor in interest of an employer (Sec. 1).

• Exempts the state or any municipality, local and/or regional board of education or a nonpublic elementary or secondary school except with respect to each of their covered public employees (Sec. 1).

• Defines “family and medical leave compensation” or “compensation as the paid leave provided to covered employees from the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Trust Fund (Sec. 1).

• Establishes a Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program administered by the Labor Department offering up to 12 workweeks of family and medical leave compensation to covered employees during any 12 month period and an additional 2 weeks of family and medical leave compensation to a covered employee with a serious health condition occurring from a pregnancy that results in incapacitation (Sec. 2).

• Requires the Labor Department to begin collecting funds no later than July 1st, 2020, and providing compensation to covered employees on and after July 1st, 2021 (Sec. 2)

• Requires employees to contribute up to .5% of their weekly earnings to the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Trust Fund in the form prescribed by the Labor Department, also requiring that earnings subject to contribution cannot exceed the Social Security contribution and benefit base, in order to provide compensation to covered employees (Sec. 2).

• Requires the Labor Department to increase the amount of earnings subject to contributions to an appropriate amount if the employee contributions are not sufficient to ensure solvency and are already at the maximum allowed percentage, with approval from the General Assembly, and can be rejected by a three-fifths vote in both chambers (Sec. 2).

• Covered employees can receive compensation under the program alongside any employer-provided employment benefits as long as the total compensation of the covered employee during the period of leave is not greater than their regular rate of compensation (Sec. 2).

• Establishes the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Trust Fund for the purpose of providing paid family and medical leave to covered employees as a nonlapsing fund held by the State Treasurer held separate from all other funds (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

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

Highlights:

• Defines a “covered employee” as one of the following (Sec. 1):

• An individual who has earned at least $2,325 from one or more employers during the employee’s highest earning quarter within the five most recently completed calendar quarters, whether or not they are employed currently;

• A self-employed individual or sole proprietor enrolled in the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program; or

• A covered public employee.

• Defines a “covered public employee” as one of the following (Sec. 1):

• An individual who is employed in state service and is not in a bargaining unit that is established inclusive of the general statutes; or

• A member of a collective bargaining unit that has negotiated inclusion in the program in accordance to several statues, extending to those not in the bargaining unit if a municipal employer or local or regional board of education negotiates inclusion in the program for members the collective bargaining unit.

• Defines “employer” as a person engaged in any activity, enterprise, or business who employs one or more employees, and includes any person who acts, directly or indirectly, in the interest of an employer to any of the employees of such employer and any successor in interest of an employer (Sec. 1).

• Exempts the state or any municipality, local and/or regional board of education or a nonpublic elementary or secondary school except with respect to each of their covered public employees (Sec. 1).

• Defines “family and medical leave compensation” or “compensation as the paid leave provided to covered employees from the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Trust Fund (Sec. 1).

• Establishes a Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program administered by the Labor Department offering up to 12 workweeks of family and medical leave compensation to covered employees during any 12 month period and an additional 2 weeks of family and medical leave compensation to a covered employee with a serious health condition occurring from a pregnancy that results in incapacitation (Sec. 2).

• Requires the Labor Department to begin collecting funds no later than July 1st, 2020, and providing compensation to covered employees on and after July 1st, 2021 (Sec. 2)

• Requires employees to contribute up to .5% of their weekly earnings to the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Trust Fund in the form prescribed by the Labor Department, also requiring that earnings subject to contribution cannot exceed the Social Security contribution and benefit base, in order to provide compensation to covered employees (Sec. 2).

• Requires the Labor Department to increase the amount of earnings subject to contributions to an appropriate amount if the employee contributions are not sufficient to ensure solvency and are already at the maximum allowed percentage, with approval from the General Assembly, and can be rejected by a three-fifths vote in both chambers (Sec. 2).

• Covered employees can receive compensation under the program alongside any employer-provided employment benefits as long as the total compensation of the covered employee during the period of leave is not greater than their regular rate of compensation (Sec. 2).

• Establishes the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Trust Fund for the purpose of providing paid family and medical leave to covered employees as a nonlapsing fund held by the State Treasurer held separate from all other funds (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text