Democrats have introduced a revised plan to allow up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave, adding changes that have attracted support from businesses and Gov. John Carney.
The revised legislation by Sen. Sarah McBride, a Wilmington Democrat, comes after the first version of the bill introduced last May stalled.
The plan would create a statewide paid family and medical leave insurance program, paid for by payroll contributions, for certain life events such as serious illness, a new child or adjusting to military deployment. People could receive up to 80% of their average weekly wages.
The program would be funded by less than 1% of an employee’s weekly pay, split evenly by the employee and employer.
The six-person Senate Health and Social Services Committee, which McBride chairs, will hold a hearing on the bill on Wednesday.
The revised bill includes several changes that are a result of a compromise with lawmakers and business owners who pushed back on last year’s bill. Gov. Carney’s administration, before this year, was also hesitant.
“I could defend all of the reasons for why I’ve included the things that I included in the original bill, but governing requires compromise,” McBride said.
The revised bill restricts eligible relationships that qualify for family leave, stating that only parents, children and spouses qualify. The original bill was expansive, covering anyone with a “significant personal bond” regardless of their legal or biological relationship.
It also cuts the maximum coverage of family caregiving and medical leave to six weeks. The original bill allowed 12 weeks.
Parental leave would still be covered for 12 weeks.
The revised bill also delays when the program would start. Contributions would start in 2025 and benefits would be available in 2026.
It also requires an employee to work for their employer for a year in order to qualify.
Businesses with fewer than 10 employees wouldn’t be automatically covered for parental leave, according to the revised bill. Businesses with fewer than 25 employees wouldn’t be automatically covered for family caregiving and medical leave. Those businesses could choose to opt in for coverage.
Some of the changes copy guidelines from the Family and Medical Leave Act, which Congress passed in 1993. The act gives some workers 12 weeks of leave if they need to take time off for medical or family reasons, but that leave isn’t guaranteed as paid. Nearly 60% of Delaware workers don’t have access to leave under the law, according to a press release about the bill.
The bill requires a three-fifths vote. Democrats control three-fifths of the House and two-thirds of the Senate.
Carney, a Democrat, explicitly supported the measure during his State of the State speech on Thursday, signaling to his party that he wants it passed before the General Assembly’s deadline, June 30.
Supporters argue that the bill helps people struggling with a major life event and makes the state more competitive in attracting new workers. They also argue that states with paid leave programs see higher morale and productivity, lower turnover costs and more security for workers. It would also allow small businesses to offer paid leave when they otherwise couldn’t afford it.
McBride has argued that the economic and health-related repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic have proved the need for paid leave. She has said that Delaware can’t just fight the virus and then return to normal — especially after so many people lost work in the face of illness.
“I’m grateful for the good-faith discussions that I had with stakeholders on all sides of this issue,” McBride said. “The legislation reflects that feedback and moves Delaware in a positive direction toward being both more competitive and more compassionate.”
LAST YEAR’S BILL:Delaware Sen. Sarah McBride introduces paid family, medical leave bill. What it would do
STATE OF THE STATE:8 takeaways from Delaware Gov. John Carney’s 2022 State of the State address
Sarah Gamard covers government and politics for Delaware Online/The News Journal. Reach her at (302) 324-2281 or sgamard@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahGamard.
