In his first address to a joint session of Congress on April 28, 2021, and as part of his “American Families Plan,” President Biden endorsed a new federal program that would eventually provide up to 12 weeks of partial wage replacement for leave taken for a variety of reasons, including parental and sick leave. He now becomes the third president in a row to call for a national paid leave program early in his presidency.
The proposed program is relatively light on details at this point. The White House indicates it would be phased in over a 10-year period, and eventually provide up to 12 weeks of partial wage replacement for a variety of purposes, including family and medical leave. It would provide eligible workers with partial wage replacement ranging from two-thirds to 80 percent of weekly wages, capped at $4,000 per month. The proposal does not provide specific details on how the program would be funded other than to say it will cost $225 billion over 10 years.
Members of the Center for Workplace Compliance (CWC) can read more here.