In January
we discussed the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act (the FAMILY
Act), introduced in the Senate on December 12, but just this month
Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) introduced legislation that would
expand the already existing Family and
Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA).
Currently, FMLA only applies to those businesses that have at least 50
employees. This new legislation H.R. 3999: Family
and Medical Leave Enhancement Act of 2014, proposes to expand FMLA to those
businesses that have more than 25 employees working within 75 miles of one
another.
Not only
would this new legislation expand those businesses covered by FMLA, it would
also increase the benefits available. The additional benefits would include 24 hours per year of unpaid
Parental Involvement and Family Wellness leave.
Eligible employees would be able to "participate in or attend an
activity that is sponsored by a school or community organization and relates to
a program of the school or organization that is attended by a son or daughter
or a grandchild of the employee." Not only would Parental Involvement and
Family Wellness leave cover school or community programs, it would also allow
eligible employees to "meet routine family medical care needs, including
for medical and dental appointments of the employee or a son, daughter, spouse,
or grandchild of the employee, or to attend to the care needs of elderly
individuals who are related to the eligible employee, including visits to
nursing homes and group homes."
President
Obama endorsed the protections in a June 2008 speech in Albuquerque, New Mexico,
saying, “With more and more households headed by two working parents – or a
single working parent – it's also time to dramatically expand the Family and
Medical Leave Act. Since more Americans are working for small businesses, I'll
expand FMLA to cover businesses with as few as 25 employees – this will reach
millions of American workers who aren't covered today. … We'll allow parents to
take 24 hours of annual leave to join school activities with their kids.”