Connecticut Republicans Unveil Paid Family Medical Leave Proposal
May 22, 2019
Connecticut Senate and House Republicans today unveiled a legislative proposal to give Connecticut employers the tools to offer paid family medical leave coverage to thousands of Connecticut workers.
The proposal would create private market options to give employers the tools to compensate employees for time away from work for sick leave or to care for extended family members at no cost to the state. In addition, the Republican plan seeks to create the ability for Connecticut employers and employees to purchase into other state plans should those states allow. Unlike the Democrat proposals, this program would not be mandated.
“Having a child or taking care of a sick loved one is something most everyone will experience at some point in their lives,” said Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano. “Connecticut needs to consider what we can do to make it more feasible for people to leave work for a time to put their family first in these times of need. But we have to do it in a way that doesn’t add more burdens onto workers and job creators, and in a way that does not create an unsustainable system. We need to ensure benefits promised are actually there when someone needs them. This proposal seeks to accomplish those goals by giving employers and individuals the tools to plan for their futures and care for their families. It would also remove walls to allow Connecticut residents to take advantage of the robust paid family medical leave systems in other states and further stabilize and reduce costs within those programs.”
“This alternative plan would be optional and comes with no cost to the state. It would be supported in part by the private insurance industry located here in Connecticut, not the state,’’ House Republican Leader Themis Klarides said. “We believe this is the best way to ensure that workers are given much needed time away from work to care for themselves, their families and loved ones.”
The Republican proposal includes similar eligibility guidelines as Democrats have included in their proposal to determine who is considered a family member.
The Democrat proposal would create a new bureaucracy of state employees to administer the family medical leave program and determine how much would be deducted from workers in order to keep the fund solvent. It would require at least 135 additional state workers and would cost well in excess of $20 million to start up. Republicans said that under the proposed legislation from Democrats the proposed fund could become insolvent within a few short years. If that happens benefits would be reduce. Unionized government workers would also be exempt from the Democrat program.
The Republican proposal will be offered as an amendment in the state Senate today.
