COLUMBUS – Democratic state lawmakers in both houses of the Ohio legislature are introducing family medical leave bills they say will protect workers and make small businesses more competitive.
The Ohio Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program would provide 12 weeks of benefits during a 12-month period to cope with a medical emergency, care for a sick family member, or adjust to the birth of a new baby.
“Ohioans shouldn’t have to choose between the health and well-being of their family and their financial security,” said Rep. Kristin Boggs (D-Columbus), who is co-sponsoring the bill in the House with fellow Democrat Janine Boyd of Cleveland Heights.
“Ohio’s adoption of a state wide family paid leave policy would send a strong message that Ohio is a place where you can work and take care of your family,” Boggs said.
Federal law provides some workers the ability to take leave but does not provide any guarantees that they will receive any compensation while on leave.
“Twenty-five years after passage of the Family Medical Leave Act, Ohio must take the next step to ensure all families can access job-protected, paid time off for family and medical leave.” said Elizabeth Brown, Executive Director of the Ohio Women’s Public Policy Network and member of Columbus City Council.
The proposal, sponsored in the Senate by Columbus Democrat Charleta Tavares, would allow workers to earn a percentage of their paycheck while they take time off to care for a newborn, a newly-adopted or newly-placed foster child, a family member with a serious illness or to address their own medical condition.
“In Ohio, 38 percent of children live in a single-parent household, often headed by single mothers. Paid family and medical leave will help these families take care of their loved ones when they need it the most,” Tavares said.
Funding for the program is provided entirely by premiums deducted from employees’ wages though an employer has the option to pay the contributions.
“Most small businesses simply don’t have the resources to offer the kind of robust paid leave benefits that larger companies typically provide,” said Bob Szuter, co-owner and founder of Wolf’s Ridge Brewing in Columbus, who stood alongside Boggs and Boyd to voice support for the measure. ”A state-administered paid leave insurance program, however, would help make Ohio’s small businesses more competitive by ensuring that all workers can access paid family leave regardless of the size of their employer.”
To be eligible, employees must have worked at least 680 hours and contributed to premiums to the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Fund for at least one year.