Paid Parental Leave

HB 825 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb825-00
Page 1 of 3
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to paid parental leave; amending s. 2
110.221, F.S.; defining the term "paid parental 3
leave"; requiring the state to provide paid parental 4
leave to certain employees for a specified period of 5
time; prohibiting the state from requiring that an 6
employee use his or her annual or sick leave for paid 7
parental leave; providing that the employee is 8
entitled to accumulate specified benefits during such 9
leave; prohibiting the state from refusing to grant 10
such leave; providing an effective date. 11
12
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 13
14
Section 1. Section 110.221, Florida Statutes, is amended 15
to read: 16
110.221 Parental or family medical leave.— 17
(1) As used in this section, the term: 18
(a) "Family" means a child, parent, or spouse., and the 19
term 20
(b) "Family medical leave" means leave requested by an 21
employee for a serious family illness including an accident, 22
disease, or condition that poses imminent danger of death, 23
requires hospitalization involving an organ transplant, limb 24
amputation, or other procedure of similar severity, or any 25

HB 825 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb825-00
Page 2 of 3
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

mental or physical condition that requires constant in-home 26
care. 27
(c) "Paid parental leave" means fully paid leave for the 28
father or mother of a child who is born to or adopted by that 29
parent. 30
(d) The term "Parental leave" means leave for the father 31
or mother of a child who is born to or adopted by that parent. 32
(2) The state shall provide 12 weeks of paid parental 33
leave to any employee in the career service following the birth 34
or adoption of a child by the employee. The state may not 35
require such employee to use his or her annual leave or sick 36
leave during the initial 12-week period. The employee is 37
entitled to accumulate all benefits granted under paid leave 38
status. 39
(3) The state may shall not: 40
(a) Terminate the employment of any employee in the career 41
service because of the pregnancy of the employee or the 42
employee's spouse or the adoption of a child by that employee. 43
(b) Refuse to grant to a career service employee: 44
1. Paid parental leave; or 45
2. Parental or family medical leave without pay for a 46
period not to exceed 6 months. Such leave shall commence on a 47
date that is determined by the employee in consultation with the 48
attending physician following notification to the employer in 49
writing, and that is approved by the employer. 50

HB 825 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb825-00
Page 3 of 3
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

(c) Deny a career service employee the use of and payment 51
for annual leave credits for parental or family medical leave. 52
Such leave shall commence on a date determined by the employee 53
in consultation with the attending physician following 54
notification to the employer in writing. 55
(d) Deny a career service employee the use of and payment 56
for accrued sick leave or family sick leave for any reason 57
deemed necessary by a physician or as established by policy. 58
(e) Require that a career service employee take a 59
mandatory parental or family medical leave. 60
(4)(3) Upon returning at the end of parental or family 61
medical leave of absence, such employee shall be reinstated to 62
the same job or to an equivalent position with equivalent pay 63
and with seniority, retirement, fringe benefits, and other 64
service credits accumulated prior to the leave period. If any 65
portion of the parental or family medical leave is paid leave, 66
the employee shall be entitled to accumulate all benefits 67
granted under paid leave status. 68
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 69