Wisconsin Family Medical Leave Insurance Act
In Wisconsin, even unpaid leave under federal Family and Medical Leave Act is inaccessible for 63% of working people. State legislation would allow families to take PAID leave, keep their job and care for themselves or a family member.
At some point, nearly everyone will need to take time away from work to deal with a serious personal or family illness, or to care for a new child yet only 19% of workers in the U.S. have access to paid leave through their employers. Currently Wisconsinites are caught between their work and family responsibilities. Paid leave would mean not having to choose between job and family!
This state legislation would allow families to take PAID leave, keep their job and care for themselves or a family member.
The Wisconsin Family Medical Leave Insurance Act creates an employee-funded state insurance fund to provide wage replacement for employees who take leave from work to care for a new child, care for themselves if they become seriously ill, or provide care to a family member who is seriously ill. This legislation provides job protection for employees who take a qualifying leave and expands the definition of "family member" for whom an employee can take leave in order to provide care. It also benefits businesses by providing a tool for employers to retain workers. Wisconsin's workers and businesses need Paid Family Leave.
The bill would:
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Make all Wisconsin workers eligible for up to 12 weeks of paid leave for personal or family illness, or to care for a new child
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Provide workers with paid leave insurance coverage through an employee contribution of between $2 - $3.50/week
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Provide job protection for qualifying workers
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Provide income replacement between 66% of wages for most workers and up to 95% of wages for those with lower incomes