In committee
Healthy Families Act
This bill requires most private, rail, and government employers to provide employees with one hour of earned paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 56 hours per year. Workers can use this paid time to recover from illness, receive medical care, look after a family member, or handle legal, medical, and safety needs related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The bill also prohibits employers from firing, disciplining, or penalizing workers for using their earned sick time or requiring them to find a replacement worker before taking leave.
People affected—not determinable from the text provided; applies broadly to employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act, federal and state government workers, and railroad employees without naming a precise population figure
Fiscal magnitude—no CBO estimate published
Reach85provisional · pending reviewrigor: heuristic llm
What this bill touches.
Childcare & leave+55Courts & liability+40Workplace standards+75
Who it helps · who it burdens.
Who it helps
- Covered employeesGain the right to earn at least 1 hour of paid sick leave per 30 hours worked (up to 56 hours annually) for personal illness, family care, or recovery from domestic violence/assault, protected from employer retaliation and enforceable through civil lawsuits.
Who it burdens
- Covered employersMust provide earned paid sick leave, allow carryover of unused time, reinstate leave for rehired workers within 12 months, maintain confidential medical records, post workplace notices, and face legal liability, damages, and civil fines for noncompliance or retaliation.
- Employees requesting sick leaveMust make reasonable efforts to schedule planned leave to avoid unduly disrupting operations, give required advance notice (at least 7 days when foreseeable), and provide medical or legal documentation if requested for absences exceeding 3 consecutive workdays.
- State programs and agencies receiving federal fundsLose 11th Amendment state sovereign immunity against employee lawsuits under the Act if they accept or use federal financial assistance.
- Department of LaborRequired to issue implementing regulations, investigate employee complaints, subpoena records, conduct a public awareness campaign, and compile annual data on paid sick leave access and usage.