The United States is the only industrialized country without a national program guaranteeing workers some form of paid sick or paid family leave. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides many U.S. workers with access to unpaid, job-protected time off to provide or receive care. Under this law, a worker is eligible for 12 weeks of unpaid leave in the event of the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child; the serious health condition of a close family member; a worker’s own serious health condition; or the military deployment of a worker’s spouse, child, or parent. Eight states and the District of Columbia have implemented paid leave policies. The Federal Employee Paid Leave Act, which takes effect in October 2020, will provide paid parental leave to federal employees.
This piece discusses two pieces of legislation that include provisions to provide paid leave for workers during this COVID-19 pandemic.