AN ACT CONCERNING FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE FOR STATE EMPLOYEES.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 5-247 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2006):

(a) (1) Each appointing authority shall grant, on account of illness or injury, to each full-time employee in a permanent position in the state service who has furnished satisfactory proof of such illness or injury, such sick leave with pay as has accrued to [his] such employee's credit at the rate of one and one-quarter working days for each completed calendar month of continuous full-time service which may be computed on an hourly basis. Hourly computation of sick leave shall not diminish benefit entitlement.

(2) Each appointing authority shall grant to each full-time employee in a permanent position in the state service who has furnished satisfactory proof of (A) the birth or adoption of a child of the employee, or (B) a serious illness of a child, spouse or parent of the employee, up to two weeks of such sick leave with pay as has accrued to the employee's credit pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection.

(3) On or before [October 1, 1980] January 1, 2007, the Commissioner of Administrative Services shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, concerning the accrual, prorating and granting of sick leave with pay to other employees in the state service and extending sick leave with pay or with part pay for longer periods to full-time permanent employees disabled through illness or injury. Such regulations shall specify that such other employees are entitled to use up to two weeks of accumulated sick leave upon the birth or adoption of a child of such employee, or upon the serious illness of a child, spouse or parent of such employee.

(4) Each such employee who retires under the provisions of chapter 66 shall be compensated, effective as of the date of [his] retirement, at the rate of one-fourth of such employee's salary for sick leave accrued to [his] such employee's credit as of [his] such employee's last day on the active payroll up to a maximum payment equivalent to sixty days' pay. Such payment for accumulated sick leave shall not be included in computing retirement income and shall be charged by the State Comptroller to the department, agency or institution in which the employee worked.

(5) For purposes of this subsection, "serious illness" means an illness, injury, impairment or physical or mental condition that involves (A) inpatient care in a hospital, hospice or residential care facility, or (B) continuing treatment or continuing supervision by a health care provider.

Sec. 2. Subsection (a) of section 5-248a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2006):

(a) (1) Each permanent employee, as defined in subdivision [(21)] (20) of section 5-196, shall be entitled to the following: [(1)] (A) A maximum of twenty-four weeks of family leave of absence within any two-year period upon the birth or adoption of a child of such employee, or upon the serious illness of a child, spouse or parent of such employee; and [(2)] (B) a maximum of twenty-four weeks of medical leave of absence within any two-year period upon the serious illness of such employee or in order for such employee to serve as an organ or bone marrow donor. Any such leave of absence shall be without pay. Upon the expiration of any such leave of absence, the employee shall be entitled [(A)] (i) to return to the employee's original job from which the leave of absence was provided or, if not available, to an equivalent position with equivalent pay, except that in the case of a medical leave, if the employee is medically unable to perform the employee's original job upon the expiration of such leave, the Personnel Division of the Department of Administrative Services shall endeavor to find other suitable work for such employee in state service, and [(B)] (ii) to all accumulated seniority, retirement, fringe benefit and other service credits the employee had at the commencement of such leave. Such service credits shall not accrue during the period of the leave of absence.

(2) Each appointing authority shall grant to each permanent employee who has furnished satisfactory proof of (A) the birth or adoption of a child of the employee, or (B) a serious illness of a child, spouse or parent of the employee, up to two weeks of sick leave with pay in accordance with subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 5-247, as amended by this act, or other applicable law.

Statement of Purpose:

To allow state employees to use up to two weeks of accumulated sick leave while on family and medical leave due to the birth or adoption of a child or to care for a seriously ill child, spouse or parent.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]