HB1249 • 2026

State employees; authorize to buy back leave time used while taking FMLA leave.

AN ACT TO CREATE NEW SECTION 25-3-96, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT STATE EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE USED EARNED PERSONAL LEAVE OR MAJOR MEDICAL LEAVE IN ORDER TO BE PAID THEIR REGULAR COMPENSATION WHILE TAKING LEAVE UNDER THE FEDERAL FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT (FMLA) MAY BUY BACK ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THE PERSONAL OR MAJOR MEDICAL LEAVE USED WHILE TAKING FMLA LEAVE, BY PAYING TO THEIR EMPLOYER THE AMOUNT OF THE NET COMPENSATION RECEIVED DURING THE USE OF THE PERSONAL OR MAJOR MEDICAL LEAVE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Healthcare Labor

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor: Crawford
Last action: 2026-02-03
Official status: Dead
Effective date: July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass and therefore will not be in force as of the stated date.

State Employees Can Buy Back Leave Time

This bill allows state employees to buy back personal or major medical leave they used while on FMLA leave by paying their employer the net compensation received during that time.

What This Bill Does

Creates a new section in the Mississippi Code of 1972, allowing state employees to buy back personal or major medical leave taken while on FMLA leave.
Requires employees to pay their employer the amount of net compensation they received during the use of personal or major medical leave to buy it back.
Restores the purchased leave time to the employee's account after payment is made.

Who It Names or Affects

State employees who have used personal or major medical leave while on FMLA leave.

Terms To Know

FMLA: The Federal Family and Medical Leave Act, which allows workers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for certain family and medical reasons.

Limits and Unknowns

This bill did not pass in the session it was introduced.
It only applies to state employees who have used personal or major medical leave while on FMLA leave.
The bill would take effect from July 1, 2026, if passed.

Bill History

2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
02/03 (H) Died In Committee
2026-01-19 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
01/19 (H) Referred To State Affairs

Official Summary Text

State employees; authorize to buy back leave time used while taking FMLA leave.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

H. B. No. 1249 *HR26/R1031* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR26/R1031
PAGE 1 (RF\KW)

To: State Affairs
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Crawford

HOUSE BILL NO. 1249

AN ACT TO CREATE NEW SECTION 25-3-96, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1
1972, TO PROVIDE THAT STATE EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE USED EARNED 2
PERSONAL LEAVE OR MAJOR MEDICAL LEAVE IN ORDER TO BE PAID THEIR 3
REGULAR COMPENSATION WHILE TAKING LEAVE UNDER THE FEDERAL FAMILY 4
AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT (FMLA) MAY BUY BACK ALL OR ANY PORTION OF 5
THE PERSONAL OR MAJOR MEDICAL LEAVE USED WHILE TAKING FMLA LEAVE, 6
BY PAYING TO THEIR EMPLOYER THE AMOUNT OF THE NET COMPENSATION 7
RECEIVED DURING THE USE OF THE PERSONAL OR MAJOR MEDICAL LEAVE; 8
AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 9
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 10
SECTION 1. The following shall be codified as Section 11
25-3-96, Mississippi Code of 1972: 12
25-3-96. An employee who has used earned personal leave, 13
major medical leave or a combination of personal and major medical 14
leave in order to be paid his or her regular compensation while 15
taking leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) 16
is authorized to buy back all or any portion of the personal or 17
major medical leave used while taking FMLA leave, by paying to his 18
or her employer the amount of the net compensation received during 19
the use of the personal or major medical leave. Upon payment of 20
the required amount for the personal or major medical leave being 21
H. B. No. 1249 *HR26/R1031* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1031
PAGE 2 (RF\KW)
ST: State employees; authorize to buy back
leave time used while taking FMLA leave.
purchased, the appropriate amount of the employee's personal or 22
major medical leave shall be reinstated to the credit of the 23
employee. 24
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 25
and after July 1, 2026. 26