Plain English Breakdown
The official text does not specify what constitutes a 'qualifying exigency' beyond the expanded definition of covered active duty; readers must refer to other laws for those details.
Expanding Family Leave Benefits for Military Families
This law expands the definition of 'covered active duty' so workers can get paid leave when their family member in the military is training, deployed anywhere, or called to state active duty.
What This Bill Does
- Expands the definition of 'covered active duty' under existing disability insurance laws.
- Adds military training periods as a reason for workers to take time off with pay.
- Includes deployments that do not go to foreign countries in the list of covered events.
- Allows leave when reserve component members are called to state active duty.
- Authorizes spending from an existing special fund to pay benefits under these new rules.
Who It Names or Affects
- Workers who need time off for qualifying exigencies related to their family member's military service.
- Family members of people in the regular U.S. Armed Forces or reserve components, specifically spouses, domestic partners, children, and parents.
- The state agency that manages the Unemployment Compensation Disability Fund.
Terms To Know
- Covered active duty
- Military service time including training, deployments anywhere (not just foreign countries), or calls to state active duty for reserve members, which allows family leave benefits.
- Reserve components
- Parts of the military where people serve part-time and can be called up for federal or state active duty when needed.
Limits and Unknowns
- The bill does not change how many weeks of leave workers get, which remains at a maximum of eight.
- It only covers specific family members: spouses, domestic partners, children, and parents in the Armed Forces.
- The text does not list the exact dollar amount or percentage of wages paid during this time off.