REPORT ON BILLS FAVORABLY REPORTED BY COMMITTEE

TITLE OF BILL:

AN ACT CONCERNING FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE FOR STATE EMPLOYEES FOR THE SERIOUS ILLNESS OF A CHILD.

SPONSORS OF BILL:

REASONS FOR BILL:

The bill adds the following definition for “child” in the state employee Family and Medical Leave Act: a biological, adopted or foster child, stepchild, child of whom a person has legal guardianship or custody, or child of a person standing in loco parentis. The law already allows leave for the adoption of a child, but does not specify leave for the illness of a non-biological child.

Amendments A, B, and C changed the definition of “in loco parentis” in the bill and existing FMLA statutes.

RESPONSE FROM ADMINISTRATION/AGENCY:

The Permanent Commission on the Status of Women supports this bill. Society and the labor force have changed so that balancing the needs of work and family is now a priority for most workers. In the majority of American households, there is no stay at home adult to take care of family needs. Whether it is a single or two parents home, they are often out of the home working. More than 1 in 3 families need at least two weeks each year to care for ill family members; 1 in 4 families need 3 weeks each year. When employees choose to take time off from their employers, they experience a negative response from their employers. As many as 24% of employed parents report that they face problems at work when they have to care for a sick child. SB 463 would extend family and medical leave to state employees who need time off to care for an adopted child, foster child, stepchild or a child for whom they have legal guardianship.

NATURE AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT:

Dennis O'Neil, AFSCME, supports this bill.

Lori Pelletier, Secretary-Treasurer, Connecticut AFL-CIO, supports this bill. It is a common sense change in the law to provide this needed benefit.

NATURE AND SOURCES OF OPPOSITION:

None given.