H.R. 5873

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Please sign on in support of Family Leave Insurance Act!
 

Dear Friends,
Representatives Pete Stark, Carolyn Maloney, George Miller, and Lynn Woolsey have introduced a new, comprehensive paid leave program: H.R. 5873, The Family Leave Insurance Act of 2008. Please join us in supporting the bill by signing on to the letter of support. The legislation is similar to the bill introduced in the Senate last year by Senators Dodd and Stevens, but the House version offers expanded coverage and benefits.
We have drafted a letter in support of the bill and encourage all to sign on. Please email or call Steffany Stern to sign on to the letter (sstern@nationalpartnership.org or 202-238-4881). If you are interested in receiving more information on the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill, please contact us.
Overview of the Family Leave Insurance Act:

* Provides up to 12 weeks of paid leave for workers who need time off to care for a new child, a seriously ill family member, or to recover from their own serious illness.
* Expands the definition of family to include domestic partners, grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings.
* Covers all employees who have paid into the system for at least six months; also covers part-time employees, defined as workers employed for at least 625 hours per year (or around 20 hours per week).
* Creates a "Family Leave Insurance Fund," funded by premiums paid by both employers and workers, equal to 0.2% of each worker's earnings.
* Benefits are progressively tiered based on income:

* 100% of weekly earnings to $20,000
* 75% of weekly earnings to $30,000
* 55% of weekly earnings for $30,001-$60,000
* 45% of weekly earnings for $60,001-$97,000

* Job protection provided for FMLA-eligible workers.
* Employers or states with equivalent or more generous benefits may opt out of the program.

We applaud our allies in the U.S. House of Representatives for their commitment to working families, and we look forward to working with all of you as we support their efforts in the upcoming months. 
Thanks,
Kate, Rachna, Sharyn, and Steffany
Work and Family Team
National Partnership for Women & Families
<http://www.nationalpartnership.org/site/PixelServer?j=eRgzLvzXtzkE8uxtiDl4-Q..>

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