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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 18, 2012 02:40 PM |
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| From: | Representative Dan Truitt |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Family Medical Leave Act (Previous HB 1713) |
| For many Americans, the federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) has become a useful and necessary tool when dealing with a serious illness of a parent, child, or spouse. But what if the family member stricken ill is a sibling without a spouse or child? Or a grandparent with no children around to care for them in their final days? Now is the time to make simple but meaningful changes to the FMLA here in the Commonwealth. In the near future, I plan to re-introduce House Bill 1713 of last Session, which would extend family medical leave benefits to siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren. Even though this version did not require businesses to offer paid leave to these individuals, it still did not make it to the House Floor. My version of this bill clarifies language to ensure no one “double dips” and takes leave time from the federal and state extension program. It would also limit the amount of time to six weeks instead of twelve and only apply in those instances where the patient has no living spouse, parent, or child. So, the impact on a business would be minimal but the positive effect it would have on the patient as well as the family member/caretaker would be enormous. The two are spending more time with each other during a difficult and painful time. This results in patients using the state less for a source of home assistance. Extending the FMLA to sibling, grandparents, and grandchildren when there is no other alternative is a “win” both for Pennsylvania and for the affected families. Attached is the bill from last Session. Previous co-sponsors include: TRUITT, KILLION, CLYMER, CONKLIN, GERGELY, HACKETT, HARKINS, PARKER, WAGNER, MURT and CREIGHTON |
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| View Attachment | ||
Introduced as HB298
Memo Updated: December 18, 2012 02:45 PM