The bill that would provide up to 12 weeks of statewide paid family and medical leave passed in the state Senate on Tuesday, overcoming the first major step to become law.
It now makes its way to the House, which, like the Senate, is controlled by Democrats. Gov. John Carney also signaled strong support for the legislation earlier this year.
There was no bipartisan support for the bill, as every Senate Republican voted against it. Many Republican lawmakers voiced concerns on Tuesday about how this legislation would affect small businesses.
The plan would create a statewide paid family and medical leave insurance program, eligible for both state and private employees. It would be funded by less than 1% of a worker’s weekly salary, split evenly by the employee and the employer.
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If signed into law, the contributions to the program would begin in 2025, while the benefits would be available in 2026.
People would receive up to 80% of their average weekly wages. It’s intended to be used for certain life events like serious illness, a new child or adjusting to military deployment.
The bill was sponsored by Sen. Sarah McBride, a Wilmington Democrat who is one of the most high-profile lawmakers in the General Assembly. McBride first introduced the legislation last year, but then made revisions to earn the support of the Carney administration and business owners.
This included restricting certain relationships that qualify for family leave, limiting it to only parents, children and spouses. The maximum coverage for family caregiving is six weeks, while parental leave remains at 12 weeks.
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The bill requires employees to work for the employer for a year, in order to qualify for the benefit. Small businesses also have the option to opt into this certain aspects of the program.
Businesses with less than 10 employees wouldn’t automatically be covered for parental leave, while businesses with less than 25 people wouldn’t automatically be covered for family caregiving and medical leave.
Contact Meredith Newman at (302) 256-2466 or at mnewman@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @MereNewman.
