Family and Medical Leave Bills Should Move Forward

Several bills relating toward creating a comprehensive paid family and medical leave insurance program is currently at the State Legislature waiting for action to be taken.

Members of the Raised-Up Massachusetts coalition of community organizations, religious groups, and labor unions recently expressed their support for these bills at a legislative hearing on June 13.

The paid leave bill would apparently (if passed) make Massachusetts employees eligible for job protected paid leave to recover from a serious illness or injury, to care for a seriously ill or injured family member or to care for the child.

Partial wage replacement benefits for employees taking leave would be funded through employer and employee premium contributions to the new Family and Employment Security Trust Fund or to private insurance plans.

The Review, like the 93 State Representatives and the 25 State Senators that co-sponsored Raise-Up Massachusetts paid leave bills, supports what appears to be quality legislation that will benefit the working force in many ways.