Healthy Families Act
June 19th, 2009 by Harold Ford
The Healthy Families Act (HFA) has been introduced in the both the House (H.R. 2460) and Senate (S. 1152). Sponsored by Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA), the bill would require employers with 15 or more employees to provide employees with up to 56 hours of paid sick leave. Leave would be accrued at one hour for every 30 hours worked.
Under the Act, paid sick time can be used for the employee’s own needs or to care for a child, parent, spouse, or any other blood relative. An employee begins accruing the sick leave at their start date and is able to begin using it after 60 days. The leave would not be able to be counted under an employer’s absence control or no-fault attendance policy.
While many Democrats and President Obama are for this Act, Republicans have voiced their opposition. SHRM has also spoken out against the Act, and you can read their position here.
