Bipartisan Push for Paid Family and Medical Leave Gains Momentum in Senate and House

A bipartisan coalition of senators and House members launched a collaborative initiative- a Request for Information (RFI) aimed at assisting lawmakers in crafting legislation that can secure approval in both chambers, with the aim of advancing federal paid leave legislation.

Why it matters: A federal paid family and medical leave program that would preempt state requirements has been elusive in Congress – the launch of this initiative represents the first significant progress towards a federal paid leave law in years. To date, thirteen states and the District of Columbia have some sort of paid family and medical leave program.

Through the RFI, the group is seeking input from stakeholders, including unions, care advocacy groups, business organizations, and think tanks. The RFI invites suggestions on the funding mechanisms for the paid leave program, as well as insights into the scope and role of the federal government in this initiative. The deadline for responses is January 31. HR Policy Association will provide its own input to the RFI and continue to educate Congress on the benefits of a national paid leave standard to ease compliance burdens presented by the patchwork of state paid leave laws. 

Outlook: Lawmakers are hoping to have an agreed upon framework early next year to begin drafting legislative text, scheduled for release next year, ahead of the elections. Despite the positive outlook, reaching an agreement on legislation that could gain approval in a Democratic-led Senate and a Republican-led House will be a formidable challenge. Several Republicans remain opposed to a federally directed program, while some on the left may feel that a compromise bill falls short of their expectations. The drafters of any legislative text must navigate challenges to establish consensus on language addressing the preemption of existing state paid leave laws, recognition of current comprehensive employer-paid leave programs, and the funding mechanism of a federal program —historically contentious issues.